Relay For Life is right around the corner for UW-Madison and the hype to save lives and cure cancer is in the air. Relay For Life is a fundraising event through the American Cancer Society where teams come together to walk the track in honor of those who are fighting cancer, have beaten cancer, or have lost their fight to cancer. The night is full of memorable events such as the Survivors Lap, the Luminaria Ceremony, and the Fight Back Ceremony. Different clubs and guests from around campus come and join in on the fun in order to raise awareness and funds to battle cancer.
Hannah Ramion, a UW-Madison sophomore, is participating in her fifth Relay For Life and currently serves on the committee for Colleges Against Cancer, a club organizing the event.
How are you involved in Relay For Life? When did you first get involved?
I am on the Team Development Committee and I’m co-chair of Team Recognition. I participated in my first Relay For Life in my sophomore year of high school. My first year I was just a participant but the experience was so powerful for me that I knew that I wanted to get more involved with it. Every since then, the past four years, I’ve been a team captain and the past two years, I’ve been on the committee.
Why is Relay For Life important to you?
It’s a time when the community is able to come together and address the disease of cancer. We’ve all been affected by cancer in one way or another, whether it’s a family member or someone we know. Relay is a way to celebrate those who have won their battle and remember those we have lost.
Why should more people get involved?
I personally really like the American Cancer Society and all that it stands for. I don’t think people are educated about all the different programs they provide to those who have cancer in their families as well as the funding of research. It’s an amazing event that everyone should get involved in.
What’s your favorite part of Relay For Life?
My favorite part is when the survivors take the first lap around the track as we cheer them on and show our support. It’s a powerful experience to see how far someone can come from battling such an awful disease. The second lap, the caregivers join in. It’s super cool to see families come out and join their loved ones because it just goes to show that cancer affects everyone. Cancer doesn’t just affect the individual but it collectively affects everyone surrounded by the disease.
Anything last words?
Hannah: Yeah, f*ck cancer.
Relay For Life is scheduled for this Friday night, April 10 at 6:00 PM.
To join the fight, check out the website for more information!