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Molly Vincent |
Relay for Life is not a new concept to many UP students. Sophomores Rose Hogan and Hannah Schoen of team “Treasured Chests” have participated in the fundraiser since high school.
Hogan, who is also on UP’s Relay for Life committee, discovered the fundraiser through her band program.
“My senior year was when we really devoted our team effort to an alumni, because she was diagnosed with leukemia a few months before the relay,” Hogan said.
Schoen started participating in Relay for Life her freshman year of high school when her best friend got cancer.
“In high school we would go to a junior high and bring tents and spend the night outside,” said Schoen.
Friday evening 6 p.m. - 8 a.m. Saturday morning, UP hosted the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Relay for Life allows students and other donors to fundraise and raise awareness for the ongoing fight against cancer.
Participants donate $10 for admission and can also create teams for Relay for Life, setting up campsites on the basketball court.
In addition to the relay itself, the fundraiser also includes a Luminaria Ceremony which supports survivors and honors those lost to cancer.
Participants decorate paper bags which are dedicated to survivors, fighters and those lost to cancer. Glow sticks are put in the personalized bags and set around the track.
During the ceremony, ‘14 UP alum Amber Lundin-Hartgraves spoke about her own battle with cancer, as she was diagnosed while still in college.
After suffering from seizures that she thought were provoked by stress, Lundin-Hartgraves’ boyfriend convinced her to go to the hospital.
She was diagnosed with Glioblastoma after doctors found a large brain tumor. Though it takes five years to be in remission, Lundin-Hartgraves is stable and next month she takes her last chemo dose.
Participants unanimously agree that Relay for Life is a great opportunity to spend time with friends and meet new people, all while donating to a great cause.
Molly Vincent is a sports reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at vincentm17@up.edu.
