Stories of Relay
Cancer survivor shares his story
Carly McFerren
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: News
From 7pm to 7am on April 17th and 18th, the Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) chapter at Messiah College hosted its third annual Relay For Life in association with the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Brittany Kappauf, Chair of Messiah College's CAC chapter, says that there were 315 participants, 21 committee members, and 26 survivors with their 15 guests attending the event this year.
Other people visited the site of Relay for Life and participated in on-site fund raising.
Special guests Deborah Wright, this year's Mrs. Galaxy, and Wendy Sledd, Mrs. Pennsylvania spoke during the opening ceremony about their own battles with cervical cancer and the support the ACS provides.
Messiah College President Kim Phipps also spoke at the opening of the event.
Messiah College has hosted Relay for Life for the past three years. Kappauf says that the events have been profitable and reports that $40,000 was raised the first year.
"$40,000 for a first year was crazy," Kappauf said. "We've been impressed with how much we have received."
Kauppauf says that additional fund raisers will add to this year's total. She reports that $26,000 was raised.
Although committee members were worried about economic problems effecting fund raising, Kappauf says that it did not hinder this year's event.
Organizing Relay for Life takes an entire school year, Kappauf says. Before the end of this semester, CAC volunteers will begin planning next year's Relay which is scheduled for April 16-17, 2010.
CAC works closely with one staff member of the ACS throughout the year and an additional two or three staff members during Relay, says Kappauf. "It takes a lot of time and people," she said.
"I have a lot of reasons why I relay," said cancer survivor and Messiah College junior, Jason Stussy. "Like most people here, I'd walk forever to see cancer gone."
Stussy had four different colored ribbons painted on his face at an on-site fund raiser. He also wore a gray ribbon, signifying the brain cancer he survived; a pink ribbon for his grandmother, a breast cancer survivor; an orange ribbon for his grandfather, who died from leukemia; and a purple ribbon for his aunt, who died from pancreatic cancer.
Brittany Kappauf, Chair of Messiah College's CAC chapter, says that there were 315 participants, 21 committee members, and 26 survivors with their 15 guests attending the event this year.
Other people visited the site of Relay for Life and participated in on-site fund raising.
Special guests Deborah Wright, this year's Mrs. Galaxy, and Wendy Sledd, Mrs. Pennsylvania spoke during the opening ceremony about their own battles with cervical cancer and the support the ACS provides.
Messiah College President Kim Phipps also spoke at the opening of the event.
Messiah College has hosted Relay for Life for the past three years. Kappauf says that the events have been profitable and reports that $40,000 was raised the first year.
"$40,000 for a first year was crazy," Kappauf said. "We've been impressed with how much we have received."
Kauppauf says that additional fund raisers will add to this year's total. She reports that $26,000 was raised.
Although committee members were worried about economic problems effecting fund raising, Kappauf says that it did not hinder this year's event.
Organizing Relay for Life takes an entire school year, Kappauf says. Before the end of this semester, CAC volunteers will begin planning next year's Relay which is scheduled for April 16-17, 2010.
CAC works closely with one staff member of the ACS throughout the year and an additional two or three staff members during Relay, says Kappauf. "It takes a lot of time and people," she said.
"I have a lot of reasons why I relay," said cancer survivor and Messiah College junior, Jason Stussy. "Like most people here, I'd walk forever to see cancer gone."
Stussy had four different colored ribbons painted on his face at an on-site fund raiser. He also wore a gray ribbon, signifying the brain cancer he survived; a pink ribbon for his grandmother, a breast cancer survivor; an orange ribbon for his grandfather, who died from leukemia; and a purple ribbon for his aunt, who died from pancreatic cancer.
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