American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Georgetown Univeristy Kickoff

American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Georgetown University Kickoff

Co-sponsored by the Georgetown University Lecture Fund

WHAT: Because cancer never sleeps, Relay For Life is an inspiring overnight experience that lasts until morning.  A Luminaria ceremony honors cancer survivors and remembers loved ones lost.  Teams take turns all night, walking a track. Activities include games, food and entertainment.  There are hundreds of Relays across the country, promoting cancer awareness, helping families and individuals heal, and raising funds to support the American Cancer Society’s mission to finish the fight against cancer.    

Each Relay has a kick-off a few months before the event to help volunteer organizers swing into full gear to organize the event and recruit new participants.  The Georgetown University kick-off is co-sponsored by the Georgetown Unviersity Lecture Fund.  The Center for Social Justice Research is providing food and refreshments.  There will be a Luminaria ceremony to remember those fighting and those lost to cancer.

WHEN: Georgetown University Relay For Life Kickoff:  Wednesday, February 5, 6 – 8:15 p.m.

WHERE: Copley Formal Lounge, 37th and O Streets, NW, Wash. D.C.  (Located inside GU’s Copley Hall).

WHO: Suleika Jaouad, young cancer warrior, writer and motivational speaker, was diagnosed at age 22, shortly after her 2010 Princeton University graduation.  A triple citizen of the U.S., Switzerland and Tunisia, she lives in NYC.  She will be talking about her experience with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia and inspiring the students and participants of Relay For Life at Georgetown University.

Her blog: Life Interrupted is:  http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/author/suleika-jaouad/

Georgetown University Relay For Life: Friday, April 11, 3 p.m.  The community is invited.

To register or form a Relay For Life team, go to www.relayforlife.org/georgetowndc or contact Jennifer Vigario at Jennifer.vigario@cancer.org.

Relay For Life was created in 1985 by Dr. Gordon Klatt, a cancer physician in Takoma, Washington, who since became a cancer survivor himself.  He walked a track for 24 hours and raised funds for the Society.  Now, Relay For Life events take place in more than 5,000 communities in the U.S. with approximately 4 million participants raising millions of dollars to help defeat cancer.  The Society is celebrating our 100th birthday and invites the Washington, D.C. community to help finish the fight in this century by joining a Relay For Life. 

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The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks to our progress, nearly 14 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. As we mark our 100th birthday in 2013, we're determined to finish the fight against cancer. We're finding cures as the nation’s  largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.