Relay for Life is on to raise cancer awareness

The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life is set to make an appearance at FAU this March.

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[Brianna Marsh | Contributing Photographer]

Alexandra Van Erven, Contributing Writer

The Relay for Life at Florida Atlantic in conjunction with Lynn University is set to happen on March 27 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the FAU track to raise awareness and give support to those affected by cancer.

The fundraiser and relay will be sponsored by the American Cancer Society in hopes to “offer an opportunity to honor the cancer survivors in your life, promote how you can reduce your cancer risk, and raise money to help find a cure,” according to the official relay website.

“Everybody has been touched by cancer either directly or indirectly, and I think this is something we have to fight for, because cancer is a tough opponent,” said FAU Relay for Life President, Trami Nguyen. “It’s something that we can’t just turn a blind eye to.”

Multiple student organizations on campus will be present, including clubs like the Asian Student Union, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and our fraternities and sororities, along with student organizations coming from Lynn. The partnership between the two universities is meant to exemplify the bond that cancer awareness brings out in the university community.

This year’s relay has already registered 37 teams with 195 participants, setting it up to be an action-filled successor of previous relays like last year’s with “Once upon a time (a time without cancer)” themed events and activities.

“We have a lot of activities that go on all night,” said Nguyen. “This includes games like the ‘Hungover Games’ in which the participants play beer pong with water and the ‘Mr. and Mrs. Relay,’ in which the male participants dress like princesses and the female participants dress like princes.”

Fundraising teams will also set up tents with different Disney fairy tale stories to stick to the general theme. “We have different themes for the different teams and their tents, like Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Peter Pan. The committee chose Frozen,” explained Nguyen. “It’s going to be awesome.”

The amount of money expected to be raised this year totals around $45,000, reaching higher than previous years. In 2014, the amount made totaled $35,000. 90 percent of the funds raised go towards the American Cancer society, with 10 percent going towards management and general costs.

“It’s not just about a number and not just about a goal,” said Nguyen. “It’s about saving people’s lives and spreading awareness.”

For more information, check out the official American Cancer Society Relay for Life page on Facebook or the university’s official Relay site.