Participants joined together from Friday evening until early Saturday morning to fight cancer at Lipscomb’s fourth annual Relay for Life event held in Allen Arena.
The event was broken up into three sections of fundraising and entertainment. Students could enjoy live music, dancing, and spike ball on the front stage, enter a basketball or volleyball tournament in McQuiddy Gym, or visit the several fundraising tables and game stations held on the back stage of the arena.
All money donated throughout the night benefits the American Cancer Society and the Hope Lodge located at Vanderbilt. Nashville is home to 19 of the 900 research programs in the nation.
“This Hope Lodge is the only one in Tennessee.,” said junior Angela Sullivan, co-chair for Lipscomb’s Relay for Life event. “If you’re in Memphis or Knoxville and you need cancer treatment at Vanderbilt, you and your family can stay for free, get free food and free travel to treatments.”
Participating in Relay events is something Sullivan has done for as long as she can remember. Her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 60, before Sullivan was born, and later passed away from an aggressive breast cancer after being in remission for 14 years.
“That has been my passion for Relay ever since,” Sullivan said. “She loved going to the Relay events. She always rocked the survivor lap and was a huge proponent for the American Cancer Society.”
During her grandmother’s stint with cancer, Sullivan said the American Cancer Society worked closely with her family, providing whatever they needed, checking in on them, giving her grandmother free wigs and doing anything possible to make her journey with cancer easier.
“That’s why I really believe in the American Cancer Society promise because I know they’re going to show up when they say they’re going to, for the patients and for the families.”
Sullivan and several friends got involved with Lipscomb’s Relay chapter during their freshman year; the second annual Relay for Life event was held that year as well.
For the fourth annual Relay, the committee board members include Sullivan and Peter Chimera as co-chairs, Kelsey Jones as the director of production, Chad Bradstreet as the director of administration, Gentry Landreth as director of development and Kenleigh Howard as director of marketing.
“We call them ‘families’,” Sullivan said. “There are 20 committee members who work within each family to make everything happen through the year with social media and spirit weeks and during the actual event.”
The Relay team hopes to raise $40,000 by Saturday morning.
The Helmsman, Lipscomb bands inspire fundraising
During the second annual Relay event, the production director at the time contacted one of the lead members of the band Seagrape Souljahs, a reggae-rock band from Jupiter, Fla. They agreed to come perform because of that connection and documented the entire drive.
“They had a dog with them; he was amazing,” Sullivan said. “They were a really fun part of our event. A lot of bands will come, perform and then leave. They participated in everything, even four a.m. yoga.”
Seagrape Souljahs split-up during the last two years but the remainder of the band has formed into The Helmsman.
“They’re so enthusiastic and we love having them,” Sullivan said. “They really care about Relay and still drive all the way from Jupiter, Fla. to play for our event.”
Male social club remembers Jared Eubanks
Several social clubs and student groups participate in the fundraising aspect of Relay for Life. For male social club Sigma Iota Delta, this year served a special purpose.
Senior Jared Eubanks passed away in September 2015 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was an active member of SID.
“It’s really special to us because of Jared who passed in September,” senior Braden Davidson said. “We’re all trying to be very intentional about being here. It’s a good cause and obviously it affected us all personally.
“It’s one thing when you hear about someone having cancer, but until it’s someone that you’re really close to, it’s on a different level. We’re here doing all we can in memory of Jared.”
Sigma Iota Delta hosted a video game table throughout the night. For $5, participants could have unlimited access to the gaming stations.
“In retrospect, me and Jared used to always play video games together in the dorm,” Davidson said. “He loved video games so it’s cool how it all connects.”
Photos by Erin Turner