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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Colleges Against Cancer holds annual Relay For Life

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Photo by Valeria Cardenas/ [email protected]

More than 600 students and Milwaukee residents helped raise $60,000 for the American Cancer Society Saturday night in the annual Relay for Life, held in the Helfaer Recreation Center.

At the event, put on by the Marquette branch of Colleges Against Cancer, those in attendance walked laps around the gym from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Colleges Against Cancer has been planning the event since September.

“Marquette students love to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and this is another chance for them to support such a great cause,” said Shannon Gavin, a senior in the College of Communication and the entertainment chairwoman of the group. “We are able to honor survivors, remember those we have lost and continue their fight against cancer by walking through the night at Relay.”

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2012 there were 1,638,910 new cases of cancer in the U.S., and 577,190 people died from cancer. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease.

Lung, breast and prostate cancer are the three most common forms of cancer; each had more than 220,000 new cases in 2012, according to the ACS.

“It’s a way to see hundreds of people coming together,” said Caitlin Toohey, a senior in the College of Health Sciences and president of the Marquette branch of Colleges Against Cancer. “It’s a fun event for a good cause.”

The night also included the Luminaria ceremony, in which participants light candles in memory of those who have died, in honor of those who survived treatment or in support of those currently fighting.

Sonya Cummins, a junior in the College of Health Sciences and the Luminaria chairwoman of the group, said the candles help represent why students are involved in the Relay for Life.

“The fight still continues,” said Cummins. “(This) one night represents a lot of things.”

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    SamApr 16, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    I looked at the photo album on the Tribune’s Facebook, and I really don’t think the photos chosen (online or in the Trib) represent what Relay is all about. There were much better photos of people holding up the frame that said “Saving the World One Relay at a Time” and people writing on the poster about why they Relay, and I think this shows more what we were fighting for at this event. The ones dancing and goofing around with the blind girl’s cane do not represent it at all. It just takes a few minutes to look through and find some better ones. Just some food for thought for later articles.

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