PRSSA Kent Comes Together With Relay for Life

For many, the color purple is a point on a color wheel or a novel by Alice Walker. For others, the color purple represents cancer research and the Relay for Life Foundation.

Kent State University will be hosting its Relay for Life, an organized overnight community fundraising walk, on April 27.

PRSSA Kent is working with AAF Kent to organize a team.

According to Relay for Life’s official website, joining Relay is about more than fighting to cure a specific type of cancer. Instead, it is about creating a world without disease.

“We’re fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community,” the website reads. “Each person who shares the Relay experience can take pride in knowing that they are working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten our loved ones or rob anyone of another birthday.”

Megan Brown, a sophomore magazine journalism major, joined the PRSSA/AAF Kent team because of the personal connection she felt towards Relay for Life.

“Relay for Life has always been a huge part of my life,” Brown said. “My mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1995 and luckily made it through her hard stages with chemotherapy and is still with us here today.”

Her own family experiences with overcoming cancer influenced her to start participating in Relay for Life.

“My mother's battle with cancer has made me a believer in miracles,” Brown said. “I do not know where I would be without her. I was only 3 years old at the time, but I knew what was happening. I participated [in Relay for Life] when I was younger with my mom’s hospital where she works in our town.”

Brown said that she thinks that the Relay for Life event is impactful because it connects groups across campus.

“Having an 'all campus' relay event is what Relay is all about: coming together,” Brown said. “When you have more people who join the cause and help out, so much more can be done.”

Brown said that the color purple, which represents Relay for Life, represents hope and the willingness to fight the battle against cancer.

Brown, who has a variety of future aspirations, said she was inspired to join PRSSA because of the impressive student leaders. She hopes to develop her skills to be like them.

Brown said that she has a clear goal for her future career. She wants to work for Rolling Stone magazine. For right now, she's focused on Relay for Life. Student involvement in awareness events is something Brown said she feels is very important.

“It gives you an opportunity to raise money and awareness of every type of cancer,” Brown said.

If you are interested in joining the PRSSA/AAF Kent Team, please visit http://bit.ly/Y5Ihs4.

Contact intercampus liaison Cindy Deng ([email protected]) or treasurer Megan Corder ([email protected]) with questions.