Over 200 FAU students and faculty will spend 18 hours of walking and sleeping on the track on the Boca campus, all in the name of cancer research.
Relay for Life, an event that occurs in many locations across the country, is an 18-hour overnight event held annually at FAU in which teams of people camp out and take turns walking or running around a track. The teams, which comprise 10 to 20 members, are also asked to raise money for cancer research.
“Students should participate because it is a fun-filled night with food and games, all while raising money to eliminate this horrible disease. Plus, students can receive [community] service hours for their participation,” explains Adam Epstein, chair of FAU’s Relay for Life.
Not only is this event beneficial for cancer prevention and treatment, it is good exposure for everyone involved.
“I felt good knowing I was helping such a great cause, and it really opened my eyes to the detriments of cancer,” says Mary Romero, a sophomore theater major.
According to www.relayforlife.org, the official Web site, this is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people per year to “celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost to the disease, [and] fight back.”
There are currently 21 FAU teams signed up. As a fundraising goal, FAU has asked each team to raise $1,500.
“Teams range from clubs and organizations on campus to Greek life to athletic teams. The faculty and staff are also forming teams,” Epstein says.
All the money raised for Relay for Life events across the country goes toward cancer research, education, advocacy, and providing services for persons who have been touched by cancer.
According to Epstein, there will also be a luminary ceremony to “celebrate those that have won the fight and remember those that we have lost.”
Many FAU students who are participating or have participated recognize the importance of the event.
“I participate because I know how much good it does for cancer research, and it’s fun,” says sophomore accounting major Courtney Oliver.
The FAU Relay for Life will be held on March 27 to 28 on the Henderson Field on the Boca campus beginning at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/faufl or e-mail questions to Adam Epstein at [email protected].
