Why Attend Relay for Life? Junior PT Student Lauren Scantland
gave us a brief background on how she chose to come to Saint Louis University,
how she became involved in Relay for Life, and what is special about the Relay
for Life event at SLU.
My name is Lauren Scantland and I am a junior
in the Program in Physical Therapy. As
an athlete, I knew that I wanted to be a physical therapist and I was
introduced to SLU while working with an occupational therapist who had just
graduated from SLU’s 5-year MOT program.
I visited 15 schools during my college search, but SLU was an immediate
contender the first time I visited campus.
I wasn’t sure about going to school in the middle of the city and didn’t
like the idea of not being able to partake in the college tradition of football
Saturdays, but the positives have far outweighed those hesitations. The quality of education and the
opportunities available here are unrivaled, and the university-wide focus on
serving others is not something found at many other schools.
I have participated in Relay For Life for many
years, but this year I decided to further help the cause by taking a position
on the Steering Committee for the event here at SLU. For those of you who are not familiar with
Relay For Life, it is an annual event put on by the American Cancer Society to
raise money for cancer research and cancer patients. It is a 12 hour event, taking place this
Saturday, April 20 from 6PM-6AM at Hermann Stadium, during which we will
celebrate loved ones who have won their battle against cancer, remember those
who are no longer with us, and fight back against this disease that takes so
much from so many.
The biggest reason I Relay is to honor any
child who has ever been diagnosed with cancer. Through participation in Relay
For Life, I know that I am helping to provide the American Cancer Society with
funding that is so essential to cancer research so that one day, no child will
have to suffer from this horrible disease.
Relay For Life at SLU is truly an amazing
event. It is a time when the community rallies
together to fight back and find a cure for this disease. The night is filled with beautiful scenes,
starting with the survivor lap and the release of their balloons at the Opening
Ceremony, to the Luminaria Ceremony which is a touching tribute to anyone who
has fought the disease, to the Fight Back ceremony in the early morning when
participants dedicate themselves to the fight against cancer. It’s not too late to be a part of this year’s
Relay For Life! Visit www.slurelay.org to dedicate
a luminaria in honor of or in memory of a given individual, make a donation, or
register to participate! We would love
to see Saturday at the event!
Relay Love,
Lauren
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