By Molly Burke
The Guins Against Cancer organization will host Relay for Life from noon to 8 p.m. April 29 at Farmers National Bank Field.
Relay for Life is an annual fundraiser that benefits the American Cancer Society, a nonprofit organization that helps fight cancer through research, education, advocacy and more.
Celeste Kapalin, a junior public and professional writing major, is an executive team member of Guins Against Cancer. Kapalin said people will walk the track throughout the event.
“The concept is to have people walking the track all day but then throughout the day there’s activities. There’s a YSU lap, sometimes we’ll have Zumba or yoga,” Kapalin said.
The event will begin with a lap around the soccer field for cancer survivors. The second lap will invite caregivers of survivors.
Kapalin said attendees can also play games and eat food at Relay for Life.
“We have teams that fundraise money for us. So they have tables, and they sell food and have activities and stuff. Then, we also have raffle baskets,” Kapalin said.
Senior nursing major, Haley Lowe, is an event lead for Guins Against Cancer. Lowe said Relay for Life will honor those affected by cancer.
“We like to honor our survivors that are involved in our group. We have a luminaria ceremony, that’s kind of like in memory or in support of those with cancer or those who have passed from cancer,” Lowe said.
Guins Against Cancer has been preparing for Relay for Life since the beginning of the fall 2022 semester. Lowe said she is looking forward to the day full of fun.
“We plan it all year and you get kind of nervous for it, but you just have a lot of fun all day and you have a lot of good food, laughter, friends, you honor people and it’s just a really fun day,” Lowe said.
Guins Against Cancer organizes other fundraisers throughout the year such as selling t-shirts, partnering with Chipotle, selling popcorn and more. Lowe said the organization was able to raise money last year, despite facing challenges from the pandemic.
“Last year our turn out was a little bit less than the year previously because of [COVID-19], we had a little bit of issues with that. But I think we raised about $33,000 throughout the year last year,” Lowe said.
Third-year mechanical engineering major, Emilio Santiago, is the chair for the logistics committee in Guins Against Cancer. Santiago said he joined the organization to combat cancer.
“There’s no one specifically in my family that has been hit by cancer at all, but I know some friends and some people closer to my family that have had cancer and because I know them so well and I’ve seen what it does I wanted to be a part of something to help out,” Santiago said.
Santiago said he encourages students to get involved in Guins Against Cancer.
“Despite what someone may think, it actually is a lot of fun, and you get to meet a lot of people as well. But especially for our relay event, there’s always a lot of fun things we like to do just to keep everyone active, and it’s overall just a good time,” Santiago said.
For more information on Relay for Life, head to its website. For those who want to be involved with Guins Against Cancer, email Lowe at halowe@student.ysu.edu.
