Throughout the month of February, Rock Bridge Reaches Out’s Relay For Life and Health Occupations Students of America will be teaming up to sell ribbons in honor of National Cancer Prevention Month. Every day, a different colored ribbon will be sold in the main commons for $1 in support of a different type of cancer. At the end of the month, all of the money raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society to benefit cancer research and the fight for a cure.
Junior Brendan Fish, one of the Relay for Life core leaders, said the partnership between HOSA and Relay For Life has helped to make the event more than just a fundraiser for cancer research, providing an opportunity to raise awareness in RBHS about the fight against cancer.
“After the meeting when I introduced the fundraiser to our Relay For Life members, Jack Gabel, the President of HOSA and a member of Relay For Life, approached me with the idea of our partnership, in creating a lasting event at Rock Bridge,” Fish said. “Relay For Life took many of the responsibilities of the fundraising aspect, while HOSA made it a service project to help with awareness of the event and of the fight against all cancer types. They have done so by helping with videos, posters, the twitter account for the event—@RBFightsCancer—and other aspects.”
Together, the groups hope to raise $5,000 in support of cancer research through the sale of awareness ribbons and customized wristbands. Later on, students will also have the opportunity to write the name of a loved one who is battling or has battled cancer on an awareness ribbon, which will be pinned on a quilt in honor of those afflicted by the disease.
While sophomore Maddie Parker has not bought a ribbon yet, she said she plans to buy one later on in the month to support cancer research and spread awareness. She said events like this are important for raising awareness in the community about the disease and for supporting efforts toward finding a cure.
“I think it is important for the school to have events like this because I think people are unaware of the number of people that are affected by cancer in some way or another,” Parker said. “I think it is good for a lot of people to be informed about cancer.”
The event has a deeper importance for Parker as well. Parker said her grandmother battled lung cancer for one year and was only declared cancer-free in 2012. The event’s efforts to raise awareness, Parker said, help to honor her grandmother’s fight.
“This kind of awareness means a lot to me since I was indirectly affected by cancer,” Parker said. “I am glad to know other people are at least aware of different types of cancer.”
Similarly, Fish’s mother battled cancer when he was younger, making the event a personal one for him as well. He said he hopes all RBHS students can eventually make connections to their experiences with cancer so that, through the event, the RBHS community can unite to raise awareness and continue the fight against the disease.
“Overall my hope is that we can create a strong atmosphere of awareness and dedication to the fight against cancer in the RBHS community. I hope that students and faculty will see the connection between our fight, and their own, and see that they are one in the same, so that through this there will be a sense of community and teamwork from the entire school, in joining together in the fight,” Fish said. “Everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or another, but we are united through this. Our goal is that this truly does become an event at Rock Bridge, one that lasts beyond this year, something annual that students just know about and look forward to, so that every year, our high school can promote and support the fight to end cancer.”
By Nicole Schroeder
photo by Devesh Kumar
Do you want to join in the fight against cancer and support cancer awareness? Ribbons will be available throughout the rest of February and are sold in the Main Commons and in the DECA Den. While all ribbon colors are available throughout the month, kidney cancer will be honored on Tuesday by an orange-colored ribbon. You can also follow Relay For Life and HOSA in their efforts to raise awareness by following the event on their twitter account, @RBFightsCancer.[TS_VCSC_Image_IHover ihover_image=”270706″ ihover_style=”square” ihover_circle_effect=”effect1″ ihover_circle_direction=”left_to_right” ihover_circle_scale=”scale_up” ihover_circle_direction2=”top_to_bottom” ihover_circle_direction3=”from_left_and_right” ihover_circle_direction4=”left_to_right” ihover_square_effect=”effect8″ ihover_square_direction=”from_left_and_right” ihover_square_direction2=”left_and_right” ihover_square_direction3=”top_to_bottom” ihover_square_direction4=”left_to_right” ihover_square_direction5=”left_to_right” ihover_square_scale=”scale_up” ihover_colored=”false” ihover_square_border=”8″ ihover_square_color=”#ffffff” ihover_square_shadow=”true” ihover_circle_border=”10″ ihover_circle_color1=”#ecab18″ ihover_circle_color2=”#1ad280″ overlay_handle_show=”true” overlay_handle_color=”#1ad280″ ihover_title=”Raising awareness through ribbons” ihover_content=”Junior Jodie Bappe, one of the Relay for Life core leaders, pins a ribbon to her hoodie. The ribbons will be sold throughout the entire month of February, each day honoring the fight against specific type of cancer. ” ihover_event=”none” ihover_show_title=”true” ihover_video_related=”false” ihover_video_auto=”true” tooltip_html=”false” tooltipster_offsetx=”0″ tooltipster_offsety=”0″ margin_top=”20″ margin_bottom=”20″]