There were skulls and crossbones everywhere in an unlikely scene. Pirates had joined together for a good cause: to sink cancer.
“Pirates of the Caribbean” was the theme for this year’s Relay for the Cure, an all-night event to raise money for cancer research. The event was held last Friday at Gates Field House at Coors Fitness Center.
“It’s a day and night full of fun where we can all get together and show our support for people who have had cancer and for those fighting it now,” said Katy Walsh, a member of DU’s chapter of Colleges Against Cancer, the group that organized the event.
“Even though we can’t all donate tons of money as students, we do have the ability to reach out to friends and family and every penny helps,” said Walsh.
DU’s third annual Relay for the Cure, an event that is repeated all over the country, has so far brought in more than $28,000 in donations for cancer research and expects to reach its goal of $30,000. Organizers exceeded last year’s donations by more than $10,000 and had 43 teams with more than 200 participants.
The event started out on Driscoll Lawn, but rain forced the relay to move into Gates Field House. Still, some enthusiastic students, some with umbrellas and some in pirate gear, who showed up early, walked around Driscoll Lawn in the foul weather.
Events included a hilarious Jell-O-eating contest, a kickball tournament, performances by Denver Funk Mob and the DU Idiosingcrasies and a Miss DU pageant, where guys donned drag and ran laps.
Other events were meant to honor and empower those with cancer. There was a survivor lap, with seven cancer survivors participating, a luminaria ceremony with candles honoring those with cancer and a speech by a testicular cancer survivor.
Donations were $10 per person, with teams, groups that students formed to participate in the event, encouraged to gather donations on their own. Teams ranged from groups of friends to groups of Campus Crusaders, tennis players and, of course, pirates.
Those attending ranged from DU students just wanting to contribute to a good cause to those whose lives have been touched by cancer and have participated in other relay events.
“I’m a cancer survivor,” said Kali Smith, a freshman at DU. “I’ve done the relay for four years.”
Prizes were handed out for various accomplishments. Tri Delta sorority won for most money raised with $3,900, six Black Student Alliance members decked out in pirate gear won a week in Keystone for the best spirit and Steve Finlayson, a finance major, won a PlayStation2 for the Miss DU relay. Various sponsors donated all prizes.
“Uniting together as a campus to raise money for cancer research is something that other schools look forward to every year, and we hope to make the relay an exciting tradition at DU over the next few years,” said Walsh.
“You’d be surprised how many parents and friends of parents appreciate the fact that college kids are doing something bigger than themselves.”
