This past Friday night, a large number of students, and faculty also, gathered in PepsiCo Center to participate in the Relay For Life fundraising event. The event took place from 6pm until 2am the next day, and is an annual charity event for student groups to participate in.
There are estimated to be more than 5,000 Relay For Life fundraising events each year, and it is receiving increasing attention from communities and especially college campuses.
I was a part of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), who registered for Relay For Life for the first time this year. All of the Greek groups participated in the event, along with other student groups at Augie. All student groups taking part in this fundraising event had to organize activities to raise money for RLF, by selling merchandise or making fun activities.
VSA sold authentic Vietnamese food. Prior to presenting our booth at RLR, the club members had to register with the American Cancer Society and donate money to the club’s fund.
I had a great time at RLF. This was my first time participating in RLF and I was pleased to know how much the community cared about helping people with cancer. RLF attracted a significant number of people, not just Augie students, but also community members who had charitable intention.
The walk at RLF was the most memorable for me. Cancer survivors walked around the track to people’s standing ovation, which speaks to me the most about how important it is to remain optimistic in the most life-threatening situation. I cannot begin to feel the frustration and depression in dealing with cancer, but I understand how difficult it is for them to remain hopeful.
I have a friend who died because of cancer, so I know the grief over losing a friend to cancer. That is why I pay extra attention to activities that involve fighting cancer.
People gathered at RLF and together made such a big event because they genuinely care about people who are having daily battles against cancer. In my opinion, RFL really did increase the community’s awareness of cancer, besides raising money for cancer research and patient support.
The event was very enjoyable, with food, drinks, music and fun activities. That is the beauty of RFL. It makes an event about a serious issue no longer depressing, instead happy and festive. This plays an important part in giving hope to people, especially cancer sufferers.
The event was a success overall, and in the end, it made people like me reflect on life and learn about the power of sharing and sympathizing. The message was loud and clear: share the gift of life, love and support each other, and join hands to work for a better community, one where cancer is no longer an issue. This event was truly the highlight of my week, and I was glad to be able contribute to such a good cause.