If you had $48 to spend at this exact moment, what would you spend it on? A new jacket? A phone case? Maybe some groceries? Or how about donating that $48 to Relay For Life?
A lot of you are probably getting a little tired of hearing us "Relayers" talking about fundraising and sending out emails asking for donations to your Relay pages. And we get it - we're poor college students who need to save up for the next time we go downtown or want to splurge on some Cookout milkshakes. But here's what $48 can do for the American Cancer Society:
1. Patient Support
Volunteers and specialists work daily to provide cancer patients free and confidential information and support on all aspects of cancer.
2. Hope Lodge
Hope Lodge is a place that allows cancer patients and their caregivers to have a home away from home while going through treatment. And the best part about Hope Lodge? Because of our fundraising efforts, its free of charge to the patients and their families.
3. Road to Recovery
This program allows the American Cancer Society to provide patients a means of transportation to and from treatment if they do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves.
4. Reach to Recovery
The Reach to Recovery program has been helping patients with breast cancer cope with their experience. Whether it's by face-to-face visits or by phone, volunteers provide support and comfort to individuals through their experience with breast cancer.
5. Education
With just $5, the American Cancer Society can provide newly diagnosed patients with the necessary information and resources to help them face their battle up ahead. With $48, we will be helping the ACS provide that to nine newly diagnosed patients.
6. Prevention
Research is being done daily to help find ways to prevent cancer in individuals. Epidemiology research, tobacco control research, behavioral research are all being done to find a link between these various factors and the development of cancer. Through our fundraising, grants are provided to fund prevention research.
7. Look Good Feel Better
The Look Good Feel Better program provides various services to cancer patients. It was founded and developed by a national organization that represents hairstylists, wig experts, makeup artists, and more to help patients look and feel their personal best while going through treatments.
8. Detection
Our funding allows for the advancement of technology to help with earlier detection and diagnosis of cancer.
9. Treatment
There are over ten different types of treatments for cancer - surgery, radiation therapy, stem cell transplant, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, the list goes one. Through our fundraising efforts, we are providing researchers and doctors the necessary tools they need in their clinical trials of new and developing treatments.
10. Exercise Programs
With just $10, the ACS can help offer free exercise programs to help caner patients continue to build their strength and maintain their fitness during and after treatment.
11. Paying the Bills
While away from home and work, many patients are unable to pay for their electricity, phone, gas, or rates bills. The American Cancer Society steps in and helps pay for any patients overdue bills.
12. Sources of Health Insurance
The American Cancer Society Health Insurance Assistance Service provides patients and survivors with support and guidance on health insurance options.
13. Clinical Trials Matching Service
This is a free and confidential program that helps patients find cancer clinical trials that are the most appropriate and applicable to that patient's health, medical, and personal situation.
14. ACS CAN
ACS CAN is the nation's leading cancer advocacy organization that works every day to make cancer issues a national priority. They hold lawmakers accountable for their words and actions about fighting cancer.
15. Caregiver Support
Becoming a caregiver is an overwhelming and stressful task. The American Cancer Society provides family member and their caregivers the necessary resources and information to take on these new responsibilities of caring for someone with cancer.
16. Children and Cancer
The diagnosis of cancer in a child or teenager is heartbreaking for parents, family, and friends. The American Cancer Society provides information and support to help parents of children with cancer to know what to expect. These resources include coping with the diagnosis, dealing with financial and insurance issues, and proper nutrition and care for their children.
17. Cancer Survivors Network
The American Cancer Society has developed a community for cancer survivors. This networking community allows for cancer survivors to meet each other, share their stories and what they've learned, and encourage and support each other to continue to live their lives to the fullest.
18. A Cure
This is a big one. We're fundraising to support doctors and scientists in finding answers that save millions of lives. From prevention to treatment, this funding will lead us to a cure once and for all. This funding will finally lead us to a cancer free world. This funding will lead us to the day when we will no longer have to relay.
Between Feb. 23 and 24, Virginia Tech's Relay For Life will be hosting their annual "48 in 48 Challenge" where participants in this year's Relay For Life are challenged to raise $48 in 48 hours. Participants who complete this challenge will receive free food throughout the entire night of the event as an added perk to the 18 benefits their money will already be doing for the American Cancer Society.
