More than 1,400 St. John’s University students, faculty members and friends gathered in Carnesecca Arena recently to celebrate life – and raise money to fight cancer, at the fifth annual Relay for Life.
Raising more than $55,000 for the cause, the all-night walk-a-thon, which started at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 9 and finished at about 6 a.m. the next morning, was seen as a tremendous success by those involved. A record 144 teams, compared to last year’s 98, came together to commemorate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease.
The night kicked off with Reverend James Maher, vice president of Student Affairs, taking the podium to remind the community why Relay for Life is so important.
“Life is a gift and a blessing,” Maher said. “We are celebrating those who are survivors, remembering those who have died and thanking God for the gift of life.”
To set the tone of the night, student inspirational speaker Shaun Latshaw – a third-year pre-medical student and cancer survivor – told his story and inspired everyone present in the arena.
He recalled a time when he tried running a half marathon after going into remission and how difficult it turned out to be. When he was tired and couldn’t run, he saw a little girl who was battling cancer.
“If this little girl is able to smile ear to ear with all that she is going through,” said Latshaw, “What is stopping us from fighting cancer and walking around the track all night?”
After the opening ceremony, the Luminaria Ceremony and Survivor Walk began, leading the rest of the community into a fun-filled night. For 12 hours, participants enjoyed music, games and food. Throughout the night, themed laps, including a Johnny Thunderbird lap, a tropical lap, and a Mardi Gras lap kept the crowd energetic – and by the end of relay, many teams were still there, walking.
To promote and engage students to participate in the relay, the members of the planning committee held a week of related fundraisers called “From the Hill to the Cure,” which included everything from a purple suds car wash to a barbeque and ice cream fundraiser.
“This year Relay was really a group effort when it came to putting it all together,” said Christina Zaccarelli, vice president of St John’s Student Government and chair of Relay for Life.
