This summer, Ross Medical Education Center in Elyria, Ohio participated in Relay for Life for the second year in a row. The theme this year was Wizard of Oz, and their team name was The Ross Ruby Slippers. The campus raised money for the cause by selling rainbow themed cookies, cake pops, snacks, and water. They also received many donations from the community of items such as sporting event tickets, gift cards, household goods, and even a wine holder set for the yard! Tickets were sold before and during the event and then later used to raffle off the donated items. The Elyria campus was able to raise around $400 for cancer research by selling raffle tickets!
According to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life History page: “In May 1985, Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington, raising money to help the American Cancer Society with the nation’s biggest health concern: cancer. Gordy spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at the University of Puget Sound. Friends, family, and patients watched and supported him as he walked and ran more than 83.6 miles and raised $27,000 through pledges to help save lives from cancer. As he circled the track, he thought of how he could get others to take part. He envisioned having teams participate in a 24-hour fundraising event. The next year, 19 teams were part of the first Relay at the historical Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000.”
The Ross Medical Education Center in Elyria is proud to be a part of this event, and walk in Dr. Klatt’s footsteps. Their efforts to collect donations for the raffle, sell tickets, and walk throughout the day at the relay made a significant impact not only on cancer research, but on each individual who participated. As the evening came to a close, participants listened to testimonies of survivors, family members, and patients, followed by a candlelight lap around the track in remembrance. Through their participation, everyone on campus was reminded of how many of their own families have been touched by this disease. Almost every individual knows someone that has been affected by cancer, so this is an event that hit really close to home!