Cancer is considered a leading health concern worldwide, and Fairfield students have an opportunity to help bring about a cure for the disease.
There are over 120 participants registered online and over 100 are expected to stop by throughout the 12-hour Relay For Life to be held this weekend to aid American Cancer Society initiatives.
"Twelve hours is a small price to pay compared to those who have struggled with cancer," said Megan Steel '08, president of Colleges Against Cancer and co-chair of Fairfield's Relay For Life.
Fairfield's Relay For Life: College Edition will be held on April 27-28 from 5 p.m.-5 a.m. in Alumni Hall. The event will be headed by Colleges Against Cancer and FUSA.
The main purpose of the event is to celebrate survivors and to initiate real change in the search for a cure, signified by having the event last overnight.
"The first afternoon symbolizes life before cancer," said Steel. "Then the fight against cancer is signified as evening falls and darkness sets in. Hope is symbolized as dawn arrives and the sun comes up, which is illustrative of survivors entering remission."
Throughout New England, there will be more than 200 relays in 2007, each celebrating survivorship and raising funds for the American Cancer Society.
"It is really exciting because it is Fairfield University's first Relay For Life and I think we will have a good turnout," said Denise LiGreci '09.
A track will be created at Alumni Hall, and one member from each team will be walking at all times. The check-in for the event begins at 5 p.m. and the walking will commence at 7:30 p.m.
"Twelve of my friends and I formed a team and we called ourselves Tackle Cancer," said LiGreci. "We're going to wear football jerseys and black eye makeup."
The opening ceremony will feature a speech from Fairfield alumna Karen Lynch, who is a breast cancer survivor. Lynch will be followed by Fairfield student survivor, David Axelrod, as well as the staff advisor for the event, Wendy Logan. State senator John McKinney is also scheduled to speak.
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