By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com
Shannon McFadden, communication studies senior, learned in middle school that her best friend had Leukemia.
McFadden’s friend was unable to find a bone marrow match and as a result died after the Leukemia came out of remission when they were in high school.
“It’s hard because you can’t do anything but sit there and watch,” she said.
Now McFadden is working to ensure Texas State students play an active role in cancer awareness. She is the American Cancer Society’s Texas State Relay for Life co-chair.
McFadden said a Relay for Life event, held 7 p.m. April 17, took place in her hometown four weeks before her friend died.
“Basically, that 12 hours we had our friend back again because you wouldn’t know she was sick,” McFadden said. “She was so happy to be there.”
This is the sixth year Relay For Life will be held at Texas State, and will include food, guest speakers, entertainers and on-site cancer fundraisers.
This year, April is a big month for cancer awareness in San Marcos.
Texas State, Hays County, the City of San Marcos and San Marcos CISD have made proclamations declaring April as Cancer Awareness Month. Events are planned on campus throughout the month, starting Wednesday with a workshop in J.C. Kellam 1100 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The theme of the workshop is “Cancer Has Struck Your Family: What Do You Do Now?”
A bone marrow donor drive will take place April 13 to 16 throughout campus to help those like McFadden’s friend who need a transplant.
Relay for Life will take place at Bobcat Stadium and will run throughout the night. There are 68 teams participating.
“The idea is that cancer doesn’t sleep, so at least one person from your team has to be on the track at all times,” said Aubri Nowowiejski, advocacy chair for Relay for Life.
The relay kicks off with a survivor lap where those who have lived through cancer walk around the track. The event will run until 7 a.m.
Nowowiejski, public relations sophomore, got involved with Relay For Life this year because both of her grandmothers have breast cancer.
Nowowiejski learned last week her sister was diagnosed with the disease.
When Nowowiejski’s maternal grandmother learned about her involvement with Relay For Life, she gave Nowowiejski a plaque that was presented to her grandfather for service to the American Cancer Society in the ’70s. Nowowiejski said her grandfather died before she could meet him.
“It just gave me a connection with him I never had because I never got to meet him,” Nowowiejski said. “Me going out there — it’s kind of continuing what he started.”
Among events taking place at the Relay for Life event will be the luminary ceremony. Luminaries are paper sacks with glow sticks placed in them, each one representing a life affected by cancer. The bags have names and messages written on them and can be purchased for a suggested donation of $5.
“The bags are lined all the way around the track so when people walk around the track they’ll see the bags constantly,” McFadden said.
Participating in the Relay for Life event this year is Sergio Palacios, public relations senior. Palacios is the founder of Cans for a Cure, an organization that collects and recycles aluminum cans for the purpose of donating to organizations that fight cancer. Cans for a Cure is in its first year, and Palacios said proceeds are going toward Relay for Life.
Cans For A Cure has donated $500 to the relay and hopes to double that amount by the date of the event, he said.
“We’re going to have a tent set up and everything, but we’re also going have two, 50-gallon can canisters so people who don’t know about us will know about us, and at the same time we’ll still be doing our recycling,” Palacios said. “We’re trying to save lives one can at a time.”
Palacios said 36 aluminum cans equal one pound, which is currently worth about 25 cents.
“There are about 30,000 kids who go to Texas State,” he said. “If each student donated one pound of cans per month, that would add up to $7,500 per month.”
People can still get involved in the Relay for Life.
“They can definitely join a team if they don’t want to start their own team,” McFadden said.
McFadden said the relay is seeking volunteers for the event, particularly for cleaning afterwards.
People unable to participate in the event can contribute by purchasing a shirt from the bookstore that reads “Texas State” on the front and “Gives Hope” on the back for $10.99.
“Five dollars from every shirt goes to Relay for Life,” McFadden said.
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