Shauna Santiago, '12

I will never forget the day I was told that my mom had a 30% chance of survival. I remember that hopeless feeling that overtook me each time I looked into my mother’s eyes before I left the hospital every day. I hated the feeling of not knowing if that was going to be the last time I would ever see her. My emotions were all over the place. I had no idea what to do with myself. Seeing her in the condition she was in truly crushed me. Throughout the time she spent in the hospital I prayed to God everyday asking if he could keep my mom with me for a little while longer.

My mom, my superhero, my best friend, was diagnosed with cervical cancer when I was eight. She went through radiation therapy, and after a difficult battle finally recovered. However, the fact that she recovered does not mean that our road was not rough. This was the most horrible experience I have ever had to deal with in my life. Since this traumatic experience, after being so close to losing the one person who means the most to me, I have become a different person. Yes, my family was incredibly lucky that my mother survived, but I will never forget this experience.

I felt hopeless when my mom was in the hospital. At the time I thought there was nothing I could do, I was wrong. Because of my desire to fight back against the disease, I joined Colleges Against Cancer and helped put on Relay For Life at Stanford. Relay For Life helps communities across the globe celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against a horrible disease. I love Relay because it is something everyone and anyone can participate in. All the money raised at the event goes to the American Cancer Society to fund research grants, preventative programs, patient support programs, and detection programs – programs that actually make differences in peoples’ lives. I am a part of Relay because I want to do all I can to fight cancer and save lives. I take pride in knowing I am working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten the loves of our loved ones.

-Shauna Santiago, ’12

Join the movement for hope at http://www.relayforlife.org/stanfordca

Camp Kesem is a college student-run camp for kids with parents who have cancer or have had cancer. Angela has participated in such a camp and was eager to share her experience with the Why I Fight Project.

This is the pilot for our “Why I Fight” video series, an effort that will include several videos throughout the year highlighting why people on campus want to fight cancer. Since this was our first foray this year into the art of filming and editing a video, there was a lot of excitement about how it would turn out. We’re going for films that tell and show a story, and we believe we did just that with a combination of a great monologue from Angela featured in the background and some fun shots of Angela drawing out the Camp Kesem caterpillar.

Stay tuned and subscribe to our Stanford CAC/RFL Youtube Channel for more Why I Fight videos! This is only the beginning, and it’s looking great.

We are absolutely excited to meet this year’s group. We must have talked to over 100 people this past week and are eager to see what we all can do this year. If you want to join the movement, we’ll see you Tuesday night!

Need a reminder? RSVP on our Facebook event.

I was a little hesitant about attending summit at first, mainly because of the timing. It was move-in weekend at Stanford, and I wanted to be on campus with my friends who I hadn’t seen all summer – not down in Orange County with a bunch of strangers. What I didn’t realize was how awesome those strangers would be, and how instantly we would all bond over our passion for Relay for Life and fighting cancer.

Summit was filled with interesting brainstorming sessions, useful workshops, emotional storytelling, and lots and lots of cheering. It was amazing to see 900 Relay fanatics all in one place, decked out in purple, and filled with enthusiasm. I sometimes only think of our one event at Stanford and forget that we are part of a larger movement. There was no forgetting this at summit.

It was the conversations that happened outside of the general programming that really left an impression on me. I took every opportunity I got to talk with other student leaders from campuses across California. At times we shared tips for recruitment and fundraising, and I’ve returned to Stanford with many new ideas. We also shared our personal stories, which were all inspiring and interesting. We also just talked about anything – and I’ve rarely had so much fun in conversation. I was reminded of the power of Relay for bringing people together, and now I am pumped up more than ever for Relay For Life at Stanford!

-Jared Naimark, ’14

CAC/RFL members at the 2011 CA Relay For Life Summit. From left to right: Jared Naimark

Like us on Facebook at our Stanford Colleges Against Cancer / Relay For Life Facebook Page. This is our place for community where we highlight recent happenings and give you an inside look at the work we do throughout the year. Like it, love it, and share it.

Follow us on Twitter at @StanfordCACRFL. This is for the regular updates throughout the day on what we’re up to and what’s on our mind, at all times. More importantly, it’s where you can reach out and chat about any questions, comments, concerns, or issues you’d like to see addressed. Follow us, join us, and connect with us.

Hope to talk to you soon!

“Why Stanford Fights Cancer” – our series highlighting why members from all walks of our Stanford community fight cancer, in their own words. If you would like to let us know why you want to fight cancer, fill out the form at http://bit.ly/whyifight. Today we hear from Sean Valle ’13, our Relay For Life Co-Chair!

Sean Valle '13

Cancer is exceptionally capable of impacting human lives; the fact that this year in California alone approximately 56,000 people will die from cancer does not even hint at the trail of emotions that are left in its wake.

I have participated as an active member of Relay For Life for the past 12 years. Over those significant years the American Cancer Society has enhanced my morals and values. Even though I have never been directly affected by cancer -I have never known a family member or close friend who has been affected- I know that by helping others fight the disease, I am in fact helping myself. I feel that helping those who have been affected by cancer has strengthened my character in unique and powerful ways. The experiences I have had through my involvement with the American Cancer Society have opened my eyes in ways that no other experience could have.

During my youth, I never truly understood the power of my involvement with Relay For Life. To me, Relay was just an exciting event that helped sick people. I was naive, like many of my peers at the time. That all changed during my senior year of high school when I was selected to attend a youth conference hosted by the American Cancer Society in Ojai, California. While at the conference, I gained further insight into the devastation caused by cancer and the America Cancer Society’s attempts to unite youth in a common cause. The conference was a youth collaboration where students from across California discussed ways to fund programs for cancer research, advocacy, prevention, and detection. I was flooded with stories of the American Cancer Society’s impact on lives. We discussed ways that the ACS has helped to ease the physical and emotional pain of cancer treatment. Unexpectedly, I became frightened. These students were my age, no different than me, and of the 80 high school and college students who attended the conference it was impossible to find a student who had not been affected by cancer in some way. Many students explained that dealing with the suffering brought on by cancer was an incredibly emotional and difficult process. They admitted that without the help of the ACS and its volunteers, the experience would have been devastatingly traumatic.

At one point during the conference, all of the participants were asked to sign a large white charter bus that had been traveling around the nation collecting cancer stories. The bus was already inundated with personal messages and memos, with little room left for my own. As I stood against the bus with a pen in hand, I read the surrounding notes; many began with, “To my mom,” “To my dad,” “To Grandma,” “To my best friend.” I stood alongside the bus for several moments, unsure of what to write.

But suddenly, in one of the most important experiences of my life, I realized why I fight. Stepping up beside the daunting bus, towering before me like the fight I face in my future, I squeezed my note in amongst the thousands of others: “To everyone who has ever been and will ever be affected, I fight for you.”

In my current involvement with Stanford’s Colleges Against Cancer/Relay For Life, I continue to fight on the behalf of everyone affected by cancer. I am encouraged, supported, and strengthened by the relationships I have developed with the other students on my committee. Their dedication to this cause reminds me to continue working hard and fighting back. I hope someday to be part of a world where my friends and family never face the trauma of hearing those three horrid words: “you have cancer.”

-Sean Valle ’13
Relay For Life Co-Chair

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Bianca Kapoor '14

My vovô(grandfather) came for a short but sweet visit to the United States for the first time just before my junior year in high school, and while he was with us we were happy and healthy. Within two months of his return to his native Brazil, in a very quick turn of events, we lost him to stomach cancer, a battle he had been fighting for a few years. I was in school and I didn’t get the chance to go see him in his last few days. Three years later, I still haven’t been back to Brazil and the closure of his passing remains somewhat elusive. Instead, found other ways of remembering and honoring my vovô.

It wasn’t until last year when I walked through the overwhelming Activities Fair during Fall quarter that Relay For Life seemed like something I could really use. I’ve never done Relay For Life before coming to Stanford. I had heard about it and I knew people loved it, but I had never actually spent the night fighting cancer myself. With my vovô‘s memory in mind, Relay for Life became I really wanted to do.

Knowing that cancer skips a generation in my family, I understand the possibility of getting it myself. However, there is also the very real chance that someone I love will get it. I relay and fight cancer not just for me, but for the ones I love and have loved.

Last year I had the opportunity to co-chair the Entertainment committee for Relay For Life at Stanford. While I spent the day of the event dancing to our playlist and checking in performers, I also found myself thinking about my grandfather and cancer in a way I had never done before. When the rain hit us that night, it left me discouraged that all our hard work to make performances, music, and games seemed for nothing. I vividly remember standing, cold and wet, under a tent shivering and watching the rain pour down on our movie screen that we had fought for so had and now was unusable. When the morning came, though, the sun showed another day and I awoke to my playlist still going and people still walking the track. I was no longer tired, despite having slept only a couple of hours, and I was ready to do some walking myself. I walked more that morning in three hours than in the previous twenty-one. That morning, I felt ready to take on anything, and I can’t wait to feel that way again this year. As the new Chair-in-training, I am also feeling incredibly lucky to be able to give other people like you the same feeling that I had that morning.

-Bianca Kapoor, ’14
Relay For Life Chair-in-training

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Yesterday, Stanford CAC/RFL was at the Haas Center for Open House, an NSO event for service student groups looking to recruit new students. We must have talked to a hundred people, but it payed off. We had a wildly successful time and got 73 students signed up showing interest in the group. 37 of them (over half!) signed up for 1-on-1 meetings with our group leadership to better place them in a committee for the year. Needless to say, it looks like we’re not the only ones excited about fighting cancer this year! (Shout out to any freshmen reading this right now!)

For those of us who were there representing CAC/RFL, our voices were exhausted and we all needed a sip of water afterwards. It’ll be worth it, though. In addition to signing up so many people, we got phenomenal feedback for our Why I Fight Project; our effort to collect stories of why the Stanford community wants to fight cancer. These little positive things tend to add up to great things later on.

Check out the before and after shots of our table! Note to self: free shirts, chips, and fridge magnets are a hit.

Before...

...After!

-Alfredo Martinez
CAC/RFL Publicity Chair

P.S. Big thanks to the Haas Center for Public Service for hosting another great event in the name of public service!

Jessie Holtzman '14

As a freshman last year, the vast number of passionate Stanford students and student groups blew me away.  I signed up for more clubs than I should have and attended my fair share of first meetings for different clubs.  I had worked with an organization that raised cancer awareness in high school, but I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to continue in that same area or branch out.

At my first Colleges Against Cancer/Relay for Life meeting, I was struck by the connection between students.  They cared about each other.   I felt like my ideas were appreciated and welcomed. What’s more, they got things done. What interested me most about Colleges Against Cancer and Relay for Life was the hope, inspiration, and collaboration that came from the struggle against cancer. As a Human Biology major, I hope to learn how to fight cancer on scientific and policy-based levels.  However, working in a lab does not satisfy my desire for a more personal connection. With CAC/RFL, I hope to fight cancer by raising awareness and building a supportive community.

I first became interested in fighting cancer when I learned that one of my favorite elementary school teachers had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Since then, grandparents, parents, and friends have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer including colon cancer, melanoma, and lung cancer.  Some have fought and won, while others have not. Colleges Against Cancer gives me the opportunity to raise awareness about cancer prevention on campus, while Relay for Life gives me the chance to support those who struggle against cancer and fundraise for the American Cancer Society.

This coming year, I look forward to helping Stacy lead this hardworking, fun-loving group of students.  I’m will be delighted to make care packages for children with cancer, raise awareness about the risks of skin cancer, and plan for another spectacular Relay for Life, among many other things planned for the year. I can’t wait to see you in the upcoming weeks!

-Jessie Holtzman ’14
Stanford Colleges Against Cancer Co-President

Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Stacy Kaufman '12, Photo courtesy of the Haas Center for Public Service

A few years ago I was just beginning my Stanford education. I was involved in numerous community service clubs at my high school and I wanted to stay involved in college. With so many things going on at Stanford, I wanted to dedicate the limited free time that I had to to groups and causes that I felt most strongly about. After attending the first meeting of Colleges Against Cancer, I was drawn to the work they were doing around a disease that really affects everyone.

During my junior year of high school, my mom was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the blood. A few months later, I was introduced to Relay for Life, a 24 hour walk-a-thon in which participants celebrate and remember those who have been affected and fight back against cancer. I attended and wasn’t on a team, but I found it to be inspiring. So when I came to college, I found Colleges Against Cancer (the college division of the American Cancer Society, the same organization that sponsors Relay For Life) and got involved. We hosted cancer education, advocacy, and events for survivors throughout the school year and even our own Relay for Life on campus (one of the largest events at Stanford!). I really enjoyed being part of a group that had a deeply rooted understanding for why we were all doing what we were doing. Many students in the group had a family member affected by the disease, others had been personally affected, and some were there because this was a cause they truly believed in. It is scary to know that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in his or her lifetime, and we all wanted to help change that.

Over the last few years I’ve become even more involved in fighting a disease that has now taken my mom’s life. I have been leading this group for a year and a half with an amazing group of students. This year I am excited to be joined by Jessie Holtzman, CAC Co-President, and Sean Valle and Angela Cesena, our Relay For Life Chairs. In addition, we have a dedicated group of about 20 other students who are involved with the subcommittees. Check out the rest of our blog to see what we have been up to and we would love to welcome you to our group!

(I will be at both the NSO Public Service Open House @ Haas Center on Saturday, September 24 from 1-3 pm and the Activities Fair in White Plaza on Friday, September 30.)

-Stacy Kaufman ’12
Stanford Colleges Against Cancer Co-President

Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

This year, more than ever, we’re dedicated to leading the way for students in Stanford’s fight against cancer, whatever your background may be. We hope you’re as excited as we are for what should be a tremendous movement. Here we go!

V-NECKS. TEES. TANKS.

$10 each.  All proceeds go directly to Stanford Relay For Life 2011.

If you are interested in finding out more about CAC/Relay find our table!

We will be tabling in White Plaza to educate the campus about the CCRA.

What is the CCRA?  Imposes excise tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack with equivalent increase on other tobacco products. Generates approximately $500 million annually for research of cancer and tobacco related diseases.

It will be going on the CA ballot during the next election!

For more information visits: http://www.californiansforacure.org/

Sean and Victoria will be leading all meetings.  Each committee is expected to give a weekly update during each meeting.  Also bring questions and ask for help from other group members as needed.

Meetings will now be held on Tuesdays, 8pm at Roger’s House.

It will be held Saturday, May14th to Sunday, May 15th, 10 am-10 am.

Mark your calendars!

You can attend the Facebook event here and invite your friends to get the word out about Relay Kickoff.

This is also a great way for us to publicize Relay to both students and the Stanford community.
Please send out this flyer to your lists.  Pink Zone Campus Flyer

Please send out this flyer to your lists.

Look out for more information, and please tell your friends about it! We will be sending out e-flyers for you to send to your dorms, as well as a Facebook event, so INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

View the trailer here.

Saturday November 13, 1-3 pm
Hosted by: Asian Liver Center/Stanford Athletics
Will be lots of fun! Let us know if you can come and help table/participate!

For more information: http://liver.stanford.edu/Outreach/liveright.html

We will be making a display for Old Union, where people have more time to read it

- Focusing on hookah and second-hand smoking, not just smoking! Many people don’t realize that one session of hookah is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes!
- facts, student submissions and quotes
- Writing an editorial in the Daily about hookah
- Flyering bathrooms with information/facts/quotes
- Cigarette poster that lets people know everything that comes inside a cigarette

Late Nite trivia on Thursday at Stern, from 10 pm-midnight
PINK DAY on Friday Oct 22
BRA FACTS! We’re putting breast cancer facts on bra-shaped flyers around campus, so come to meeting next week to help put them up!
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in San Jose on October 30.

Also, e-mail your lists reminding people to wear pink to raise breast cancer awareness, and to come to our activities next week!!