After 12 hours of relays, activities, performances, and guest speakers, the executive board for Relay for Life at Elon revealed the final number of money raised for the American Cancer Society, totaling $54,155.76.
Leading up to the grand reveal, more than 700 participants relayed around the Phoenix Activities and Recreation Center and listened to members of the community talk about their personal experiences with cancer. Some of those speakers were familiar faces for Elon students.
Most students know Sandra Greeson, or “Miss Sandra,” as the first face they see when they walk into McEwen Dining Hall. What many students don’t know is that she’s beaten cancer twice while working at Elon University. Greeson spoke about her experience with breast and skin cancer at this year's Relay for Life, an annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.
“You have to fight it and stand with it,” Greeson said. “You live one day at a time anyway because you’re never promised tomorrow, so that’s what you do with cancer.”
Greeson has worked at Elon for almost 18 years, and her first diagnosis in 2021 didn’t stop her from coming to work every week. She had treatment on Thursdays, came to work Friday and then used the weekend to rest and recover.
“It kept me going because you don’t need to sit down and feel sorry for yourself,” Greeson said. “You have to put one foot in front of the other.”
Throughout the year, Relay for Life collects donations through different fundraising events that all go toward its total at the end of the night.
Participants relayed around the gymnasium, tallying up laps for their organization and collecting donations for the ACS. Several Elon performance groups took the stage, including a cappella group Rip Chord and hip hop team Elon’s Finest. At 10:30 p.m., students broke glow sticks and placed them in the luminaries around the gymnasium for those who have died from cancer.
Relay for Life recognizes all sides of the battle during the 12 hours of activities, honoring those who have directly and indirectly been impacted by cancer.
Last year, the total amount raised was over $46,000 with about 400 participants, according to the president of Elon’s Relay for Life club senior Elle Nash. As of Thursday, Feb. 27, they had already raised $41,000. Nash said she was confident going into the main event that they would reach their goal of raising $50,000 — which is the highest amount of money she’s seen raised for Relay for Life in her four years at Elon.
Nash said she was excited for this event and looked forward to seeing everyone come together to help raise money for this disease that impacts everyone.
“We all have been touched in some way or another by this disease, and I think this event will just leave you with hope,” Nash said.
Freshman Ashley Metzger relayed for her grandmother who passed away several years ago from breast cancer. Metzger said attendance is important at these events because most people have a connection to the cause.
“It matters to come to this stuff because you know that so many people are connected by this disease,” Metzger said.
While the event lasted from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Nash said she was most looking forward to the last hour where she could take a moment to reflect on all they accomplished.
“I think I’m most looking forward to that home stretch of 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. when we’re all tired and we’re all like, ‘OK, this is the last hour,’” Nash said. “I’m just looking forward to coming together with my exec committee and seeing like, ‘Wow, we did that.’”