Relay for Life

We all know someone who has been touched by cancer in some way. I personally know at least seven people who have battled, survived, or lost their lives against this horrible disease. Sadly, I'm sure that I've forgotten some people in that count, which has given me all the more reason to fight back.

As a girl I know from a project I participated in years ago, Stephanie Olson, stated during a section called "I relay because..." where the mic is open to anyone who would like to speak said, after listing off all the of the people in her family that have had cancer, "It's just not fair."

Thankfully, there is an international event called Relay for Life. It's goal is to get people to fundraise money for cancer research. It has been held at my college for a number of years, and I have participated the last two years. This year I teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and my roommate's Pre-Dental club. It is a twelve-hour event. Ours went from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. because the catch phrase of Colleges Against Cancer, the Student Organization in charge of this event, and the American Cancer Society is: "Cancer doesn't sleep and neither should we." I just woke up, a couple of hours ago after getting back at 6:15 this morning.

There are no words to describe the power that this event holds for those who participate in it. During the event people are encouraged to decorate Luminaria Bags in memory of those who have died or in honor of those who have battled cancer. It took place in Myers Field House on my campus and every inch of that track had a bag on the edge.

During the "I relay because..." section, the most moving part of the whole event in my opinion, after people share their stories, and after all the lights are shut off in the field house we were handed glow sticks. Colleges against Cancer then told everyone who was a survivor to crack their glow sticks a few people cracked them. Then they went on to say if you have a family member who has battled cancer, please crack your glow sticks about half of the people cracked them. Finally they said, if you have a friend who has battled cancer please crack your glow sticks. Every single one was lit.

We were instructed to go and place our glow sticks in a bag. I put mine in one of my own losses, my second grade teacher Mrs. J, luminaria bag. We did a lap in silence to honor the memory of those who we had lost. You don't go too long without hearing at least one person crying as you pass them. After about five minutes we were told to celebrate the survivors to the tune of "Celebration" and dance around the track.

Fundraising for ACS goes throughout the night at food stations, craft stations, and other stations that are set up by the participating teams. Colleges Against Cancer organized many events to keep the energy up throughout the night.

At the end of the night there is a section called messages to heaven where you write a note on a strip of paper to someone you've lost, fold it up, put it in a balloon and let it fly.

Then the grand total is announced after the top teams are announced.
The Grand total for this year's Relay for Life: $36,042 and some odd cents going to cancer research, just from MSU....whoever said one place or person can't make a difference was dead wrong.

Until next time,
Avery