Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back

April 12, 2011

On April 9th, members of the Stonehill community, along with their families, came together to celebrate hope for a future free of cancer at the seventh annual Relay for Life at W.B. Mason. Over 400 participants raised a record $44,090 for the American Cancer Society.

Tara Daniels '14, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at age 16, served as the keynote speaker. She started off the night reliving her story as a normal teenager, until she was diagnosed with cancer. Two cancer free years later, Daniels thanked all those who participated in the event and hoped to serve as a reminder to all people that cancer can happen at any time.

The night was filled with a few tears, many laughs, and an immeasurable amount of hope. When participants wanted a short break from walking around the track, activities and performances were set up in the middle of the field. The Best Talent winners of Mr. Stonehill performed, as did Bethany Conway, Girls From the Hill, Ruckus, and Georgetown Quartet.

Salsa dancing lessons were given, and a scavenger hunt and frozen t-shirt contests were hits. Themed laps, like the Mardi Gras, luau, country, and Stonehill pride laps helped spice up the walking. WSHL Stonehill College Radio provided great music throughout the night as well.

Amidst all of the fun were also some serious moments of reflection. The beautiful slideshow of students' loved ones affected by cancer was followed by the powerful luminaria ceremony. All participants took a silent lap around the track, with only the lighting of the luminarias to guide their way.

Overall, 400 people, mainly students, participated in the relay, which surpassed its fundraising goal of $38,000. The top fundraising teams were Kick the Hill Out of Cancer, Team Fearless & Strides for Strength.

Contact

For more information, contact Communications and Media Relations at 508-565-1321.