Cancer is a disease that affects almost everyone. That’s why Siena Colleges Against Cancer Club spends all year planning events to raise money and awareness for cancer research and care. Their latest event was held on Monday, Feb. 4, 2019, which is World Cancer Day. According to the World Cancer Day website, World Cancer Day is an international day that is meant to spread awareness of cancer and to encourage individuals to help through prevention, detection and word of mouth. Colleges Against Cancer club felt that it was necessary to hold an event for this day to advocate to Siena’s campus.
For the event, the club held a table in the Sarazen Student Union with ribbons students can take and pin to their backpacks in honor of cancer awareness, purchase cookies where the proceeds go to the Siena College Relay for Life total, and learn facts and trivia about cancer to be more educated on the disease. In addition, the table was also spreading awareness for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation. This foundation was established to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer, specifically rare cancers. It was started by a Siena alumnus that lost her 12-year-old sister to cancer while she was at Siena. To find out more about this foundation or to donate, check out their website.
To learn more about the event, I spoke with Lauren Bayer ’19 who is the marketing chair of Colleges Against Cancer. She explained more about why Colleges Against Cancer hosts events like this. Bayer said, “CAC does this event because our goal and purpose as a club is to spread cancer awareness to the Siena College community. We feel this is important because each spread of awareness can eventually turn into a cure for cancer.” Every little event that the club does go towards raising this awareness and the fight for a cure.
Speaking of events, Colleges Against Cancer’s biggest event, Relay for Life is coming up in a little over a month on March 23 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the MAC. Relay for Life is a big fundraiser for the American Cancer Society where people sign up with a team and participate in ceremonies and walking to commemorate cancer survivors, caregivers, and those who lost the fight to cancer. There will be free food, games, and performances. Sign up at relayforlife.org/sienany!
