Celebrate. Remember. Fight back.
The Relay For Life Web site defines the event as more than just a fundraiser, but as a life-changing experience.
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives anyone and everyone in communities across the world a chance to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, remember the loved ones lost and fight back against the disease.
In general, at relay, teams of people camp out at a central location and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the course at all times during the event.
Bradley is holding the annual relay April 16th from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the Markin Family Student Recreation Center. Relay For Life is a 12-hour event to help raise money for cancer advocacy, research, treatment and education.
This year are already 43 teams signed up, in comparison to the 35 teams that participated last year.
“The preparation is going great,” said Annie Azriel, Bradley’s Relay For Life Chair.
Throughout the night there will be carnival games, a frozen T-shirt contest and entertainment including On The Rocks, BBQ Kitten, Orchesis and many more. Miss Illinois will also be there speaking on her platform, during which they will be holding their Relay Pageant, which boys will be dressing up for different segments and performing. Miss Illinois will be judging the contest.
The Relay For Life began in 1985 when a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, Dr. Gordy Klatt, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Klatt ran for more than 83 miles, his efforts alone raised $27,000 to fight cancer. Ever since then relay has grown from a single man’s effort and passion to fight cancer to the world’s largest movement to end the disease.
Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with additional communities in 20 other countries, gather to take part in this global phenomenon and raise funds and awareness to save lives from cancer, according to the relay Web site.
It’s not too late to sign up. Go to www.relayforlifebradleyu.com to sign up or join a team. There is a 15-person limit on each team, though if the team reaches 15 people, it is encouraged to start a new team. Registration will close the day of the event. Leaders ask that in order to get an event T-shirt participants raise at least $100 prior to the event.
Azriel said if students don’t want to sign up a team they are still looking for volunteers to help work different shifts throughout the night.
“The [amount of money raised] rises every day and it takes a few days to process if it is brought into the American Cancer Society Office, but the last count was about $17,000,” Azriel said. “Our goal is $31,500.”
