College’s Against Cancer’s Re-Lei for Life takes a walk to remember

The annual Relay for Life event took place Sept. 12 at USD’s track field and was open to all students and the Vermillion community. The event was held to raise money for The American Cancer Society and to honor survivors of cancer and those who died. 

Last year, the event was held virtually due to the pandemic. This year, USD’s Colleges Against Cancer club chose to have a Hawaiian theme and named the event the “Re-Lei for Life.” 

The event included a variety of activities. The main event was for survivors and families who took care of loved ones who had cancer to walk around the track. 

The President of the organization, junior Maddie Seiler, said the club is excited to be back with in-person events and to continue fundraising this year. 

Students and community members could participate in singles or teams by taking walks around the track.

“Each lap represents the challenges cancer patients endure,” Seiler said.  

The organizers also had markers and bags for attendees to decorate and to create tributes to their lost loved ones. They were spread across the bleachers of the track to show the widespread effect that cancer has in the community. 

The Colleges against Cancer club raised money for the event themselves. Seiler said that the only fundraiser they have done this year was selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts, but they plan to hold more fundraisers for the American Cancer Society as the year goes on. 

For the survivors, the Colleges against Cancer club prepared gifts. They made mugs filled with candy to hand out to survivors who attended the event. 

The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life is one of the largest peer to peer fundraising events for the cure for cancer and cancer research and hosts events all over the world, according to cancer.org.

“We’re honoring the people that survived cancer and showing the strength of those currently fighting that fight,” Seiler said.