Why I Relay

UNC’s Relay For Life was this past weekend and it was amazing and inspirational as always. It’s an overnight event put on by the American Cancer Society at colleges throughout the US to fundraise for cancer research, support, and treatments. I’ve done Relay since high school, and as I was getting depressed that this was my last Relay at UNC, I realized I’ll be right down the road next year and can keep participating in Relays long after graduation. I love how chill the 20-hour event always is and how much junk food I eat (popcorn, caramel apples, pasta, cookies, french fries… it’s ok, I can eat whatever I want in support of cancer fundraising). Although the weather didn’t allow it this year, I also love walking the track with my wonderfully supportive teammates and friends.

But my favorite part every year is the Luminary Ceremony which is kicked-off with a speech from someone who has been affected by cancer. This year’s speech by Elizabeth Arditti was definitely my favorite of my Relays at UNC. I can only imagine how hard it is to strike the perfect balance of being uplifting, inspirational, and not depressing, while talking about something as personal as how cancer affected her, but she completely nailed it. Her powerful words were the perfect way to start the Luminary Ceremony, where I lit luminaries with colorful glowsticks in memory of my grandparents.

I Relay for my grandparents, for everyone I know who has battled cancer and everyone who helped someone in their battle with cancer, to create more birthdays, and to prevent anymore cancer diagnoses.

 

 

You can continue to donate to UNC’s Relay For Life and my team through April. The Relay For Life committee did an amazing job this year, especially with the poor weather we had, and I want to thank my team for coming to the event with me!