Almost Time To...

...Start planning and fundraising for the 2011 Virginia Tech Relay For Life!

I can't believe that classes are quickly approaching but that means that the next season of the VTRelay is also about to arrive.  I honestly cannot wait to see what great new ideas this year's committee members will bring to an already fantastic event, there is always room for growth.

This year will be my 4th and last year as a participant of VTRelay as an undergrad and it's extremely bittersweet.  I want this year to be the biggest it's ever been (which is something we've accomplished every where that I've been at VT) and arrive quickly so we can see the growth, but at the same time I never want the planning to end.   VTRelay will always hold a special place in my heart, not only because I'm a huge supporter of finding a cure for cancer but also because of all the fantastic friends I have made through Relay in the last 3 years.

There are some people that regardless of when I see them, talk to them, or work with them all we can talk about is Relay, no matter what else is going on in our lives.  I can barely get through a whole day without talking with my Relay partner in crime, Annalee, about what we are going to do this year to fundraise thousands of dollars.  We've got some awesome ideas up our sleeves from canning around town/tailgates to a live performance from some local reality tv celebrities (sorry no more info than that until we've got plans in place).  

My goal this year is to raise over a $1000 in memory of my grandmother who I lost last November to cancer.  She is my inspiration to see an end to cancer.  

Keep an eye out for a link to my vtrelay.org webpage to donate once the school year begins.  I wont be able to reach my goal with out the support and donations from friends and family.  

--Until We Find a Cure

"Stand Up To Cancer"

There are many different organizations/charities that all work towards a common goal: funding the fight against cancer.  One of these organizations is "Stand Up To Cancer".  (SU2C)

Almost 2 years ago they held a one night benefit concert on national television that allowed them to raise over $100 Million to fund cancer research.   I ordered a shirt that night, "Touched By", because my family has been touched by cancer on multiple occasions.  SU2C is now getting ready to hold another one night event concert, only this year it will be bigger.

On Friday September 10th, 2010 at 8pm EST, SU2C will hold a simulcast commercial free event on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX,VH1, HBO Latino, TV One, G4, HBO, Discovery, Health, E!, MLB Network and The Style Network.  The hosts that night will be Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams.  (from: http://www.standup2cancer.org/node/4056)

Assuming it follows the same style from 2 years ago, it will be an extremely moving night of stories from every day people about their relationship to cancer and musical performances.  It's looking to be a fantastic night, and I hope everyone will watch.

At the MLB all-star game a few days ago there was a PSA shown by Jake Gyllenhaal.  If you have not seen it yet, it's extremely impressive by the actor and very moving. 

This year I have submitted my personal story to the SU2C website, to be entered in the drawing to be read on national television.  If you want to read my story click on the new tab at the top of this page: "Why I Relay".

I hope everyone who has a relationship to cancer shares their story and submits it to SU2C.

SU2C is not affiliated with the ACS, but they both share a common goal: funding the fight against cancer.  For more information about Stand Up To Cancer visit their website at http://www.standup2cancer.org/ and learn how you can get involved.

--

 all of us to stand up to cancer until we find a cure.

Making Strides

This week I started a new phase in my on going involvement with the American Cancer Society...I am the newest intern at the White Marsh offices working in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer division!

I was so excited and honored to find out that I was the one person selected for the internship out of a pool of other people interviewed (mostly college students I think).

So what is Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC)?

MSABC is an annual walk held both in major cities and smaller communities across the United States. It is a day where breast cancer survivors, caregivers and supporters walk in honor and support of those fighting breast cancer and to help raise awareness for finding a cure.   This year's event in Baltimore will be held on Sunday October 24th and is open to everyone. 

More information about the Baltimore event (or links to other events) can be found at stridesbaltimore.org.

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this year's walk but I am doing everything I can to help make it as great of an event as possible.  I be spending the next month and half working with the MSABC employees to recruit participants and help inform the public about this great event.  If you or a loved one has been effected by breast cancer and you'd like to learn more about the MSABC walks please feel free to leave me a comment and I'll do by my best to help you in anyway possible.

--

Until We Find a Cure.

Youth Hall of Hope

Some things might have changed in April 2007 on the campus at Virginia Tech, but they wouldn't stop the 2007 VT Relay For Life event from happening.

On April 20, 2007, the VT Students, faculty, family members, and friends attended the annual Virginia Tech Relay For Life.  They did not allow the events a few short days before deter them from their goals in the fight against cancer.  The event did have a different feel but they fought on.  They were able to raise $285,505 towards finding a cure for cancer, which was an amazing accomplishment.  During the Remember Ceremony, candles were not only lit in memory and honor of cancer patients but also in rememberance of the 32 Hokies who were now watching over them, including one of the Team Captains for that year.

This perseverance helped the 2007 VTRelay become the #4 collegiate Relay in the nation and #1 per capita with $10.19 raised per participant.  This was nothing compared to the honor that was given to Virginia Tech later that year.  At the 2007 National Collegiate Leadership Summit the directors for VTRelay were presented with the American Cancer Society’s Youth Hall of Hope Award.  They became the first recipients of this award for their honor and courage to continue their event despite the events four days before.  The 2007 VTRelay demonstrated beyond words the university's motto of Ut Prosim.   In an article posted online by Relay For Life, told of how “the students at Virginia Tech University truly embodied the spirit of Relay in their actions showing that fear and anger are much smaller than Hope”. 

For the entire article about Virginia Tech's Induction into the Youth Hall of Hope follow this link. 

The following is a video posted by VTRelay on YouTube(tm) about the 2007 Virginia Tech Relay For Life:

Until We Find a Cure

 

Honoring A Great Professor

I was sitting at a Team Captain's meeting when the Surivorship Chairperson gave a presentation about how they wanted to start a campaign to honor VT professors and students who were cancer survivors.  I turned to my friend Annalee and we both had the same idea....honoring our Introductory Psychology Professor.  We immediately began planning how to surprise him with luminaries in his honor.  She went and spoke with the other Intro Psych professor and I began thinking of days to collect money.  She made flyers to hand out on Monday & Tuesday at the start of classes, that said we were putting together a surprise for our professor: we would be collecting money the next class to donate to the VTRelay in honor of our professor in the form of luminaries.

The planning went off without a hitch and we were able to raise enough money for 50 LUMINARIES!! We were stunned that we raised that much money in 2 days and that our professor never knew!

A few days later she and I began making all of the luminaries like the ones below:

For more images of the Luminaries visit my Picasa web album by following this link.

We then planned to meet early before the Tuesday/Thursday lecture and set all of them up before our professor arrived.  With the help of a few friends we were able to set them all up before most of the class even arrived and were able to see the reaction of Dr. Geller's face when he arrived to give his lecture.  The look on his face was worth all of the planning and hoping that he wouldn't find out, he was honored beyond words.  Dr. Geller is not only a fantastic Psychology professor but also a cancer survivor and a Hokie.  We were honored to have him as a professor and knew we wanted to give something back.

If you ever have the chance to give back to a survivor, I highly recommend it because they are why We Relay.

Until We Find a Cure.