By EMILY O’LOANE
At Relay for Life events held across the country, members of the community have the chance to celebrate survivors, remember lost loved ones and raise money for cancer research.
A school-wide Relay for Life will be held May 14 on the track from 6 p.m. to noon the next day. All the money raised at the event will be donated to cancer research as well as to pay for current patient treatment with the American Cancer Society. Each club is required to have a booth that will fundraise money, and each club member has a required $10 commitment fee.
For junior Caley Brock, the repercussions of cancer affect her and her family everyday. Brock’s father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January of 2009.
“I was in complete shock [when I found out my dad had cancer] because my dad was 45, and I always thought of cancer as something that wouldn’t affect people until they were older. I was completely scared and terrified it wasn’t treatable,” Brock said.
After her father’s diagnosis, Brock began participating in Relay for Life, which is an overnight event that raises money for cancer research. She was recruited by team captain Charles Hall and raised $700 online for the cause. Brock is now a team captain for the May 14 event. There are 17 teams so far.
“It is really cool to do something to show that [cancer] is not all doom and gloom. [Relay for Life] shows that people can be helped,” Brock said.
Hall has been involved in Relay for Life his entire life. He has relatives that suffer from cancer.
“It has opened my eyes to the fact that more students are aware [of the disease than you think]. It is the difference between lives lost and none being lost in the future,” Hall, senior, said.
The Student Government Association is in charge of ensuring all the clubs on campus participate. Assistant Principal Carlota Mendoza-Iglesias first approached Annette Montgomery, the SGA sponsor, about SGA requiring every club to create a team and a fundraising booth for the event.
“I understand [the disease] better, and I know now it takes all of [the students] to help,” Montgomery said.
A Relay for Life event has never been held on campus before. Mendoza-Iglesias hopes this is the first of many years of the school hosting the event.
“[The event] is impressive because they invite survivors to participate. It gives hope because I always thought cancer equaled death, which it doesn’t,” Mendoza-Iglesias said.
For more information or to donate, visit www.relayforlife.org/conwayfl.