UTM’s Relay for Life officially kicked off on Feb. 17, 2014 in the Watkins Auditorium.
“Relay for Life is a life-changing experience that helps communities across the globe celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease,” said Syrena Flowers, Relay for Life executive director.
Flowers has been participating in Relay for Life for 12 years as of this year. She got started in the fourth grade when she was invited by a girl named Ashley to attend a Relay for Life event in Jackson. She then experienced loss nine years later when her grandfather lost his life to this disease, fighting cancer for seven years. Flowers is very passionate about Relay for Life because without the research from the American Cancer Society, she might not have had as much time with her grandfather as she did.
Relay for Life started in May 1985 with the one man, Dr. Gordy Klatt, who had a vision to make a difference. He walked and ran around a track for 24 hours in Tacoma, Wash., raising $27,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Relay for Life has since become the world’s largest movement to end the disease.
During UTM’s Relay for Life event, survivors were recognized and there were two survivors in the audience: Dr. Victoria Seng and Dr. Desiree McCullough, who are the advisers for UTM Relay for Life. The 2013 UTM Relay for Life committee was also recognized for their accomplishments made last year.
They successfully recruited 35 teams and raised $25,741, and they were also named one of the top ten relays in West Tennessee. The 2013 UTM Relay for Life committee was presented with a plaque and banner.
The 2014 Relay for Life theme will be Hollywood. Teams are encouraged to name their teams after famous actors, movies, TV shows or with Hollywood phrases.
Students can still sign up for teams by contacting Marabeth Kennedy at margkenn@ut.utm.edu.
