The American Cancer Society on Campus spread the word about Relay For Life through its annual Kickoff on Saturday. Located at 20 Hawley, the event included games, arts and crafts, raffles, prizes and food.

ACS is a national organization dedicated to fighting cancer and spreading awareness about the disease. Binghamton University’s chapter educates students and the Binghamton community about cancer prevention and methods to support research toward finding a cure.

This year’s Kickoff, themed “Imagine a World Without Cancer,” was inspired by animated Disney films, with each table representing a different movie. From a friendship bracelet station inspired by “Tangled” to a table adorned with paper Mickey Mouse cutouts for attendees to write why they relay, childhood nostalgia and hope were prevalent.

“You grow up watching Disney, you grow up singing the songs,” Rebecca Kessler, experience chair for ACS and a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said. “We try and bring joy to such a negative diagnosis. Bringing joy to raising money for it and being a place where people feel included and supported. And I think by Disney, it kind of brings back that nostalgia of being young and hopeful and that’s what we want to do. We want to be hopeful.”

The Kickoff allowed attendees to understand how the upcoming Relay For Life — a community event for people to come together and fight back against cancer — will operate, while also building excitement for it.

The University’s chapter of ACS creates a space for those affected by cancer to connect and know that they’re not alone. Jonathan Lazo, revenue chair for ACS and a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, discussed the community-oriented aspects of the organization.

“We are here to support one another and it’s one way to get everyone together,” Lazo said. “Especially in the sense of dealing with cancer itself, you have a community that is all together with fighting against cancer, especially because most of our members and our [Event Leadership Team] people have relatives who have either gone through cancer, have passed away from cancer or are currently fighting cancer. And I think it’s really nice to have a community where you actually get to just come around and know that you’re not the only one fighting against it and there’s better days coming.”

Participants in the raffle had the chance to win a variety of prizes, including gift cards to Texas Roadhouse and Garage Taco Bar, a self-care basket, two baskets curated by staff at 20 Hawley and two speakers. The evening was catered by Binghamton Hots.

While the event primarily allowed for guests to peruse each table and take part in the crafts, raffles and other activities, it began with select members of ACS discussing why they relay. Through sharing personal stories of family and friends who battled with or are currently facing cancer, the passion for advocacy and community solidarity was clear.

“I hope that no one would have to go through what me and my family went through when my dad passed away from cancer,” Kayla Said, vice president of ACS and a senior majoring in biology, said. “I hope to one day find that cure and by all this researching, I hope that we’re taking positive steps toward that. And also for the Hope Lodge, which is for people who can go and have a place to stay while they have cancer, that’s also very important. So I think the more the community is involved, the more we can actually put an end to this fight.”

Relay For Life will take place on April 17th. Participants can fundraise for cancer research and support for patients as individuals or in a team.

Said shared what she hopes attendees took away from the Kickoff.

“Their experiences are never and should never be left in the dark and I’m sure they can find somebody else in this room who has endured something similar,” she said. “And I hope they find comfort in that. I hope people don’t just bottle in their emotions, like how I did for a long time. And I hope people understand that doing something is taking a step to ending the fight against cancer, rather than just keeping it all in.”

Editor’s Note: Emma Alicea, the president of American Cancer Society on Campus, is Pipe Dream’s managing editor. She had no part in the writing or editing of this article.