Moved to run towards hope

Relay for Life has home base on campus

Sydney Grossman/ Roundup

Call it scary, a dead end, or pure panic. Call it death. It is cancer and there is no cure.

With 9 days left until the second annual Relay for Life of Woodland Hills kicks off, students, faculty and community members raise awareness and funds to fight for a cure.

The relay will be taking place on Pierce College’s soccer fields starting April 9. With 25 teams registered and 156 participants, Relay for Life has raised more than $16,000.

Currently, two members from Y’s Relay Rockstars have already raised more than $2,000 each and the team has collectively raised more than $8,000.

“Fundraising online is so easy to use and donations are easier to process,” said April Vilgera, online chair for the relay.

After last year’s event, more than $80,000 was raised, according to co-chair Elaine Pachecco, who hopes to see more than $80,000 donated this year.

“We do have money raised, but we see a majority of what is raised come in on the day of the event,” Pachecco said.

Although open to anyone, there are currently seven teams that have been created with Pierce students, clubs and sports teams. Some include the French Club, American Sign Language Club and Team Brahma.

There is a one-time fee of $10 for registration and each member is asked to commit to raising a minimum of $100 each.

Other relay teams include Relay Runts, the children whose parents are survivors, and Y’s Relay Rockstars, a top-fundraising team who has a 24-hour walking member.

Bryce Peterson, four-year-old son of Y’s Relay Rockstars’ captain said, “no matter how tired we are, people still need us to help them, so we need to be there for them.”

Breast cancer has touched the lives of more than 3.5 million people in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. The relay has been an ongoing annual event for 26 years and takes place in 19 countries around the world.

“Everyone is there because they have [in] some way been affected by cancer,” said Pachecco. “It’s a positive way to do something about cancer. People come and it’s amazing. I love the support. ”

Relay for Life not only raises money and awareness for those affected, but also offers nearly a dozen events all day and night.

After opening ceremony at 9 a.m., with remarks from president Joy McCaslin, the relay has live entertainment, a taekwondo demonstration, art-n-crafts stations, food and much more.

From the ‘survivor lap’ to dancing, and raffles to eating, the event never sleeps. Once dark, there is a Luminaria Ceremony where decorated bags are placed around the track in honor of, in support of, or in memory of someone who has battled cancer.

Relay for Life is still open for registering teams and members, and is always looking for more donations.

“There is no rhyme or reason to why some people lose and some people win this battle,” Pachecco said. “All we do know is that early detection is key.”