Page 14 - Marilyn

A Message to Relay -

By Lauren narasky

Sometimes all you
need is a little
perspective. Try as I
may to keep a sense
of what is important
in the world—health,
happiness, loved
ones—I still find my-
self stressing and
worrying over tiny,
insignificant bits of
life on a daily basis.
I get angry that my
hair won’t cooperate
in the morning. Rush
hour traffic frustrates
me every evening.
14 If I don’t get an A on
my next midterm, it’s
the end of the world.
I don’t have enough time to watch my favorite
TV show or go to the gym.

This weekend I got a much-needed reminder that these
things really don’t matter; that the age-old cliché is true— some of my teammates why they relayed. All have had
every day is a gift. I attended the Relay for Life at the Univer- someone close to them in their lives battle cancer, often with
sity of California, San Diego April 13-14, 2008 and learned a sorrowful results, that they wanted to honor. Many also
lot while raising money for a great cause. The annual event, agree that they enjoy feeling like they’re making a difference
hosted by the American Cancer Society, is one that reminds in the world. Teenagers and college students have long
us to never take for granted any person or moment in our held the reputation for not caring or doing enough to help
lives. out charities, but these students felt that this was a miscon-
ception. With a heated presidential election looming in the
The 24-hour event began early Saturday morning with open- near future, college students are getting more involved in
ing ceremony speeches by cancer survivors and participants politics and developing an awareness of our responsibility
who were willing to share their inspirational, though at times as citizens to be more proactive in our world. UCSD’s Relay
heartbreaking, tales of loss and survival. Though the day for Life not only brought awareness to the participants, it
was a scorcher, over a thousand college students showed up also managed to raise over $60,000 - an amount which will
to listen to their stories and honor people in their own lives certainly contribute directly to the fight against cancer.
who have been affected by cancer.
I will admit that while my first goal in participating was to pay
If you haven’t been to a Relay for Life before, the idea is that tribute to loved ones, the event was also a great deal of fun.
an organization, club, business, or just a group of friends Participants camped out on the track, brought potluck food to
must have a representative from that group on the track at all snack on, and played board and card games. Football and
times. The first lap is traditionally reserved for all the cancer soccer scrimmages broke out in the middle of the field, and
survivors in attendance. The next lap allows anyone who has teams visited other groups trying to raise more money for the
been a caregiver to join in. After that it’s a free-for-all, and so event by selling baked goods.
for the next 24 hours, all participants took to the field. I asked
May/June 2008