Cancer is an overwhelming disease. There are so many different forms and it is so widespread that it is hard to find someone who doesn't know anyone who's had some type of cancer at some point in their life. Personally, I found out in February that one of my high school friends - a 19-year-old - had Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of cancer in the lymph system. My friend found out in the worst way possible that cancer is not an "old person's" disease, and it's not something that college students don't need to be concerned about.
Since many people have seen loved ones fight cancer, you'd think that trying to raise money to support cancer research would be relatively easy, and you'd think that getting people to go to an event supporting the fight against cancer would be easy, too. After all, it's one of those issues where everyone's on the same side. Instead, after "dorm-storming" for such an event, Relay for Life, on both Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, I was pretty shocked by the apathy surrounding the whole issue.
Relay for Life, an all-night walk-a-thon to fundraise for the American Cancer Society, is being held from 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 13, to 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 14 in the Gantcher Center.
The event will include all kinds of entertainment, including performances by Turbo, SOC, Garba Team, Sarabande and Burlesque Troupe, and feature guest speakers, a DJ and stand-up comedy. It will also include important ceremonies, including the Luminaria Ceremony, which is dedicated to all those who have passed away due to cancer.
This kind of event, which recognizes and remembers those who have suffered and strives to help prevent others from suffering in the future, is clearly an easy way for Tufts students to get involved in the fight against cancer. Students only have to pay $10 to register for the event and, if nothing else, they get to spend a night getting entertained by dance groups and DJs for a good cause.
This type of opportunity is perfect for most Tufts students who, like me, can't make the time commitment to participate in any more groups that meet frequently or have frequent events. Relay for Life happens over a 12-hour period, so participants don't have to spend more than a day to contribute to the fight against cancer. If only all good causes had ways of getting involved that only meant going to a one-day event.
But, I found that other Tufts students were not nearly as enthused by this opportunity. While raising awareness about the walk-a-thon, I witnessed many people who were not only not interested in hearing about what Relay for Life does, but also downright rude. While many people that I talked to were extremely considerate, some people shut their doors in my face.
The experience that I had was not uncommon - after two nights of "dorm-storming," others in Relay for Life reported similar disinterest and rude behavior, including a volunteer who said that a student told her to "go away."
I understand that people may not be available to go to the event, and I understand that not everyone is available to talk at any given time. But the fact that people are so wrapped up in their own lives that they cannot pause for a minute to hear about fundraising for cancer research indicates to me that people are too self-involved.
However, the truth is that many people volunteered in high school and continue to do so in college, and I believe that Tufts students are more compassionate on the whole than students from other schools. This leads me to believe that the rudeness and apathy I encountered were isolated incidents. Perhaps people are just friendlier in the middle of the day, while they are more awake.
Fortunately, students can still get involved in Relay for Life, at times that are more convenient to them. Relay for Life is tabling at Dewick, Carmichael and the campus center this week, where they are selling luminaries for a suggested donation of $10. Also, students can still sign up for the walkathon by going to Tufts' Relay for Life Web site, at: http://www.acsevents.org/relay/matufts.
Cancer is an overwhelming disease, but not one that can't be stopped. Relay for Life of Tufts and many other cancer research associations have been fundraising and working to help fight cancer for years, and with their help, many significant breakthroughs have been made.
With Relay for Life of Tufts' Walk-a-thon on April 13, students also have a chance to get involved in helping to find a cure for cancer.
Lisa Gilson is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.
