By Shayla Aponte ’19, staff writer
Colleges Against Cancer hosted its annual Relay For Life at LVC, raising close to $20,000.
Relay For Life was held at the Arnold Sports Center on Friday, March 22, honoring those who are directly and indirectly affected by cancer. This year’s theme was Wizard of Oz: There’s no place like hope. With a night full of events and performances, students participated and served in various ways.
Molly Hennessy, a senior neuroscience major and Relay For Life Chair, wanted to contribute not only because of her loss, but also to honor those who have survived.
“My dad is a two-time cancer survivor and I lost both of my grandfathers to cancer,” Hennessy said. “It is a way for me to honor and remember those I have lost to cancer as well as honor my father and all the other survivors.”
One event that allowed students to make an impact was the hair cutting ceremony. Students could donate eight or more inches to send to children with cancer.
“I decided to participate because my hair was so long already, and I knew that donating it could make someone very happy,” Brianna Metsger, a senior English and creative writing double major, said. “I knew it was the right thing to do to give my overabundance of hair to someone who does not have the same opportunity to let theirs grow so long.”
Hennessy also donated ten inches of her hair to children with hair loss. Other events included minute to win it games, caregiver/survivor laps, lip sync battle and a luminaria ceremony. The dance team performed, as did Treble at The Valley.
“Seeing the LVC community come together for a common cause was inspiring,” Ryan Gilroy, a senior digital communications major, said. “This was my fourth year attending and I never got tired of it.”
This year’s top fundraising team was Alpha Sigma Tau, which raised $3,733. The event overall raised $18,830.96.