On April 1st, from 3pm to 3am, if you were anywhere near Grace Hall, you would hear the thump of music and chatter coming from the decorated gymnasium. Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society fundraising walk, was in full force here at Lehigh. Students involved in Greek organizations came together and walked around a monopoly-inspired track in the hopes of creating a future with less cancer and more birthdays. While I was a team captain all four years of high school, I didn’t know what to expect from Relay, here at Lehigh. I was impressed with the organization of the event and the level of support and spirit amongst those participating. I was in awe at the level of talent at the performances I watched by both LU’s Finest Step team and the Lehigh Melismatics.
As I walked around the track with my team, I remembered my own experiences with cancer. Both my mom’s sister and dad’s sister were taken prematurely after they lost their battles to cancer. Not only does cancer affect the person diagnosed, but also every single person who loves them. Although I was young, I can still hear my mom’s sobs, the day her little sister lost her fight. I can still see the tears falling down my dad’s cheeks, when his older sister passed away. I hope that with every step taken, we are one step closer to a cure. I hope that no one will ever have to hear the words, “you have cancer.” I hope that we work towards a future with less cancer and more birthdays.