As a child, you don’t understand much. Why do certain things happen and other things don’t? To be quite honest, I don’t think this concept improves much as the years go on. There are so many questions left unanswered, but as Billy Joel says, “only the good die young.”
The C word, could quite honestly be the scariest thing on this planet. My grandfather died from Leukemia when my mother was fourteen years old. I never met my grandfather, but the overwhelming stories told by my mother and her siblings have stuck with me throughout the years. Yet, the first-time cancer hit home was in seventh grade at a new students celebration at the end of the year. My new best friend and I were talking about summer plans when I mentioned something about mom and dad. She replied to my statement by tell me her father died when she was little, so it’s just her mom and brothers. From this day forward, I vowed to put a stop to cancer, so no one would ever have to lose another loved one. Eight and a half years later, my best friend, Sam, now a pre-med student at James Madison University, has developed into the most resilient and hardworking woman I know.
Last year, 83 teams and 487 participants came together to Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back at Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ Relay for Life event, and raised over $20,000! This year we continued to kick cancer’s ass. Colleges Against Cancer, a student led group on campus, hosted its Relay for Life event at the Bristol Gymnasium at HWS on Friday, April 14, 2017, from 6 PM to 12 AM. It was Olympic themed this year, and participants aimed for the gold to destroy cancer and honor survivors. Our campus is dedicated to the fight, attempting to end cancer one donation and event at a time.When asked why they participate in Relay for Life, or why they “relay,” some board members gave their insightful and inspiring responses.
Board member Mikaela Benny said, “I participate because cancer has affected a lot of people in my family, and I just feel like it’s the least I can do to participate in Relay and support other people.”
Another member, Sally Dent, participates “because my grandma died at age 29 from cancer, and because I enjoy working with others to fight for a common cause.”
Emily Lorimer says, “I relay because cancer is everyone’s problem. If we ourselves have not been affected by cancer, we all know someone who has. We can’t just sit back and as cancer continues to take the lives of some amazing people, such as my aunt and one of my close family friends. We have to do something, no matter how large or small.”
It’s time to act; we must add to the five billion dollars the American Cancer Society has raised through Relay for Life, for research programs, prevention and treatment. Let’s have more birthdays, more happiness, and more life together.