Day Forty-Nine

Caitlin H.

May 16, 2010 - 10:00 AM

I finally had my first "real" college all-nighter. No sleep. No power-naps. During the academic term. Not for fun-sies during finals week when I'm already done. A genuine college all-nighter. Be proud. You might be thinking of a fun night out with friends that was so fantastic it just never ended, or a crazy homework project I was rushing to meet a deadline, or some of you maybe even a drunken college stereotype kind of night. You'd all be wrong.

Cancer never sleeps. So last night, neither did I.

This year I participated in the 3rd annual Relay for Life, and let me tell you - It was a POWERFUL experience. I'm very proud of my team "In Memory of Sheryl Verbeck."

Relay for Life is the most successful not-for-profit fundraiser in the world. I think cancer impacts all of us differently, but I dare say no one out there remains untouched by cancer. Odds are you or someone you know has had to hear those dreadful words, "you have cancer." I think I've found a new passion for trying to change that.

As humbling of an experience as Relay was, it can only be described as fun. We had dodgeball games, frozen tee-shirt contests, and laps where we collected scrabble letters to try and create the highest scoring word within our team. We even had a 6am rooster crowing contest. It was a chance to get to know your friends better, make new friends, and reunite with old acquaintances. It brought together the spirit of team. It brought together the spirit of hope. It gave us all the opportunity to celebrate, and perhaps more importantly, the opportunity to remember.

15 hours of Relay is a lot to try and reduce to a simple conversation. Even now I'm struggling to understand how I can best share my experience with others. At first the music and the laughter comes to mind, but it rests in sharp contrast with the silent times of remembrance, or the stories of others and why they Relay. The stories of cancer survivors gave me much to think about during those 15 hours, and equally did the stories of the ones we lost. I danced at Relay, I felt tears welling in my eyes at Relay, I felt hope, I felt exhaustion.

When the Survivor lap started the event, I wasn't sure what the next 15 hours were going to be like. As all Relay-ers fell in line behind the Survivors, I felt the power behind this kind of event. And I'll always remember the feeling as we took our final team lap singing "Stand By Me." I'll never forget the rush of emotion during the Luminaria Ceremony at 2am where we turned off the lights and lit candles along the track, illuminating bags with mixed messages of hope, encouragement, and remembrance. And of course, I'll never forget the feeling of accomplishment as the 15 hours finally came to an end.

The UO Relay for Life has currently raised over $37,000 in total fundraising dollars for the American Cancer Society. While the Relay event is now over, we can still fundraise until August 31st, and our campus goal is to reach $40,000 by that time. Relay for Life was a phenomenal college experience, but I'm convinced now more than ever, it doesn't have to end here.