Walking with a purpose at Relay
There are two things Relay for Life participants have in common: They have been affected by cancer and they want to do something about it.
Virginia Sites, freshman in theater education, said everyone is impacted by cancer, even if it is indirectly.
“There is always someone you know who has been affected,” she said.
Dusty Petersen, president of Colleges Against Cancer, said, “If you haven’t seen cancer yet, you are going to. You may not be affected directly, but someone close to you will be – statistically, it is true.”
The freshman in premedical biology said his mom was diagnosed with stage-four lymphatic cancer, also known as Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, when he was a high school freshman. She entered remission after six months of intense chemotherapy, he said, and she is now living as a four-year survivor.
“She has been a living miracle to my family. It was after she was diagnosed and entered remission that I gained a passion to join the fight against cancer,” he said.
His passion led him to support cancer awareness and get involved in programs to fight back, he said, which is why he joined Colleges Against Cancer, a nationwide organization dedicated to eliminating cancer and implementing the programs of the American Cancer Society.
One of these programs is Relay For Life, he said, and although this is his first year participating, it has already left an impact on him.
“I have learned that if I have the will, desire and passion to fight for something I care about, I can do anything,” he said. “This year’s Relay For Life will definitely be one to remember because I have an outstanding committee who also shares my passion.”
Relay For Life starts at 6 p.m. Friday, April 23, and ends Saturday morning. People are welcome to come and walk at any time and participate in all the activities. The night will include a variety of entertainment with games, food, walking and lots of activities. Petersen said he hopes people will attend Relay to celebrate, to remember and to fight back. The event will focus on celebrating the lives of survivors, remembering those who have passed on and fighting back to raise money for cancer research.
One committee member, the Team Retention and Recruitment Assistant Virginia Sites, said her dad was diagnosed with cancer when she was in seventh grade. She said he was given three months to live.
“It was the biggest thing that has ever happened to me,” she said. “They told him there was no way he was going to live, and they didn’t have any hope for him.”
His whole bladder was a tumor, she said, and it was spreading into his lungs. He went to the hospital, where the doctors experimented with a new program that had never been tried on anyone before, she said. Four months later, she said, he was declared cancer free. It is very common for bladder cancer to come back within a year, she said, but this past March, he celebrated six years free of cancer.
The impact of her father’s battle with cancer gave her a reason to participate in Relay for Life, she said, although she had never heard of it before she came to USU.
“I really wish that I had known about it,” she said. “I wish my family had known, too, because Relay for Life does so much for people who need help.”
Sites said this is her first year participating in Relay for Life and her friends and family are joining the cause, as well.
“My dad is trying to come up for the survivor walk,” she said, “and my roommates and family have all been happy to donate.”
Donations and fundraising are an important part of Relay for Life. Petersen said each team is expected to raise $1,000, which is about $100 per team member. The USU Relay for Life committee has registered 27 teams and hopes to reach their goal of $25,000, he said.
“We want everyone to try their hardest, even though we know it’s a difficult economy,” he said. “Every little donation counts, even the small dollar amounts.”
Petersen said the teams have been busy raising funds in a variety of ways. The Greeks had an auction, USU Ambassadors held a concert Thursday, others are selling food and some have created donation boxes on Facebook.
“It’s been cool to see everyone pull together to fundraise and follow through to meet their goals,” he said. “I’m excited to see the results.”
Petersen said he invites everyone to join the cause in any way they can, whether it is attending the Relay or donating to the fundraising events. Another way to support Relay for Life is to make a donation at www.relayforlife.org/utahstateuniversityut, he said, and everyone is welcome to support by attending the two-day event.
Sites said she thinks people should get involved because “it’s a really great cause and it’s an event that everyone can enjoy.”
“It will be fun and memorable,” she said. “You can be a part of it and make a difference in the fight against cancer.”
Petersen said his favorite part of Relay for Life will be the Luminary Ceremony. It will be a sober, emotional part, he said, and everyone can purchase a candle and dedicate it to someone affected by cancer.
“I love these opportunities,” he said, “because you can see how many people are actually affected by cancer.”
Petersen said his involvement in cancer awareness is ultimately a quest for a cure.
“I think it’s important we do everything we can to fight against cancer because we have great doctors and scientists who need our help,” he said.
Petersen has plans to attend medical school and study oncology so he can treat and help people with cancer.
“It’s a lot different when you’ve been affected by cancer,” he said. “You love to help people and bring hope into their lives. I want to do that one day, with modern medicine and researching for a cure.”
Even with the technology and advanced treatments available today, Sites said, many people are still not prepared to find out that they, or loved ones, have been diagnosed with cancer. Not only are they unprepared financially, but emotionally as well, she said.
Relay for Life is a great organization that is available to help motivate people to fight back, she said. It helps people understand that cancer is not the end, and there is something they can do about it, she said.
“Relay for Life does so much for people,” she said. “They are there for moral support, and they help spread hope.”
– natalie.c@aggiemail.usu.edu