The American Cancer Society has seen increases in turnout and fundraising for cancer research at its annual all-night event on the Tempe campus, but organizers say there is still a ways to go.
Relay for Life occurs nationally each year and ASU raised $179,000 to place 12th among participating colleges nationwide.
Shannon Levante, who graduated in May, served as the executive director of ASU's Relay for Life activities for the past two years.
She said she has seen it grow from $115,000 in 2010 to $179,000 and counting this year.
"There are a lot more students, local businesses and people in the community that are more aware and involved in ASU Relay," Levante said. "Because of this growth in awareness, there has been a huge leap in participation, which leads to a jump in our fundraising."
This year, Levante led a team of about 15 students to organize very aspect of the event, from fundraising and sponsorship to communication between participating teams, education and advocating for survivors.
ASU's main Relay for Life committee begins its year with an annual summit with other universities during the fall semester, where it analyzes the previous year and makes goals for the next one.
Early in the spring semester, months before the April event, members of the committee recruit heavily among other campus clubs and organizations and engage in many talks with ASU staff and local businesses to organize entertainment for the night. Many campus clubs, colleges and Greek life organizations have their own teams present at the April event, where participants stay up all night walking the track at Sun Angel Stadium to remind themselves that cancer never sleeps, and neither should they.
Levante said the cause affects everybody.
"This disease touches everyone, whether it is through a friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker, friend's family members," she said. "This is a way for the students to come together as a community and spread awareness and raise money for the American Cancer Society, while having a positive experience at this fun event, in the hopes that no one has to hear the words, 'You have Cancer.'"
She has participated in Relay for Life since she was 16, when her twin sister was diagnosed with acinic cell carcinoma, a rare form of cancer. Her sister has been cancer-free for six years, and Levante said Relay for Life is where she can celebrate her sister's strength and that of her other family members who have had various forms of the disease.
"Other students should support the cause because it is not only a life-changing event; it is an experience," Levante said. "It allows you to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, remember those who have lost their battle, and fight back against the disease."
Event coordinator Meghan Remington had first-hand experience with cancer. She was diagnosed with a Wilm's tumor in her kidney at the age of two and, following a year of chemotherapy, has been in remission since then.
"Since then, I've watched the daughter of good family friends survive a nasty battle with cancer as a baby, I've seen my mom cry until she couldn't speak after losing a colleague, and I've watched my brother say goodbye to his best childhood friend," Remington said. "I Relay not just for me, but for everyone I love, because you don't have to be diagnosed to be affected."
She said she has seen ASU's Tempe Relay for Life grow since her own undergraduate years, in part because of participation from the campus's Greek Life. However, she said, future Relays can still be better, and she wants to see more students participate in the committee itself.
Levante said ASU's size will help it continue to grow as a host for Relay for Life and a fundraiser for cancer research.
"We have 70,000 students at this school," she said. "We can increase participation and easily be number one in fundraising among the top fundraising colleges in the nation. I want this event to be the event to go to at ASU."
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter.
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