Over 1,500 students packed Matthews Arena Friday night to participate in activities and walk the sport facility’s track to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Northeastern students and organizations raised over $165,000 through Relay for Life, an annual fundraiser dedicated to putting an end to cancer and funding research which culminates in a 12-hour event beginning at 6 p.m.
Many teams raise money through word of mouth, social media promotion and fundraising tables set up on the track at the event. Northeastern, which had 66 teams competing in the event, was the No. 1 university in the country for both number of participants and money raised.
The event began with a speech from Chancellor and Senior Vice President for Learning Ken Henderson, who is a cancer survivor, as well as speeches from other survivors and partners with the American Cancer Society, or ACS. One of the speakers was Louise Santosuosso, vice president of development at ACS, who supports ACS on Campus, Northeastern’s campus group that plans Relay for Life.
Cancer survivors then took the first lap around the track.
“It means a lot to know we’re making such an impact and funding cancer research,” said Kate Bigbee, a third-year human services major and social chair of Sigma Kappa. Sigma Kappa raised over $13,000 by the end of the event at 6 a.m. Saturday, the most of any participating organization. “Just getting to work together as a team to raise the most money means a lot to us because we’re so passionate about it.”
As a team, Sigma Kappa worked on outside initiatives to raise money for ACS before the event began. Many sorority members started fundraisers on Facebook or posted bingo card fundraisers on their Instagram stories, Bigbee said.
“Five dollars doesn’t seem like a lot, it’s like a cup of coffee, but when you ask everyone to donate it, it adds up,” she said.
While Northeastern’s fraternity and sorority life plays a large role in the university’s Relay for Life, students are encouraged to create their own teams, walk individually or join the “catch-all” ACS on Campus team, said Riley Yarbrough, a fourth-year health science and business administration combined major and team development lead for Relay for Life.
“It’s so symbolic and meaningful in a way that sparks hope,” she said.
Relay for Life also includes the Five Star Program, where teams can participate in five challenges throughout the year to gain stars. The challenges can be anything from small fundraisers to bringing supplies to the relay event. Once a team has five stars, it can receive special perks at the event like preferred seating and time slots to set up their fundraising tables.
Yarbrough oversees the Five Star Program and said her main job is “getting people excited about next year’s relay.” She works with Northeastern staff and faculty as well as on-campus organizations to encourage students to join teams and come to Matthews to raise money to end cancer.
“It’s so exciting because there’s this buzz, and I think that’s what really does it for us and sets us apart,” Yarbrough said.
Northeastern hosted its first in-person Relay for Life event since the university ended COVID-19 protocols in March 2022. While the fundraiser has not raised as much money as it did since before the pandemic, Yarbrough said Relay for Life is not just focused on the money, but also on the support, energy and excitement for next year.
At midnight, event attendees participated in Luminaria, a candlelit ceremony where names of people who are currently fighting cancer or have passed from the disease are placed on the track, and participants walk the track to honor them.
“Once you hit midnight, it becomes a very special, intimate event because there’s [fewer] people here,” Bigbee said. “It becomes a big community and there’s a lot of tears shed but it’s very special to be with people you know and people you don’t know and come together.”
While the event proved to be emotional for many attendees, the night was also one to remember, with a variety of fun activities occurring over the 12 hours, such as performances by on-campus groups, three-legged races and opportunities to “pie a friend,” where students could donate money to throw whipped cream in their friends’ faces.
“I think the fact that it’s an interactive fundraiser makes a big difference in how much [we’re] able to do and how much we want to come,” said Eliza Sollers, a third-year political science major and member of Alpha Epsilon Phi, which raised over $5,000. “Everyone feels like they’re actually part of something and doing something. It’s not a passive event.”
For Zoe Carter, a third-year health sciences major, faculty and staff recruitment chair, and external recruitment chair for Relay for Life, the event is both sentimental and fun.
“Being able to come here and celebrate and put energy towards this cause is something that’s so worthwhile,” said Carter, whose aunt passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2017. “You see people having fun. People want to be here.”
University pride was in full effect at the event.
“The legacy of Northeastern continually being such a big relay participant, the fact that we’ve raised the most money out of all the colleges repeatedly, I think keeps people coming back,” Sollers said. “It’s part of caring for the cause but also pride in Northeastern too.”
In 2023, Northeastern’s Relay for Life raised over $140,000, placing third for money raised, according to an article published on the Northeastern facilities website. In 2022, the event raised over $150,000.
For Yarbrough, Relay for Life is a symbol of hope.
“We walk the track to represent that the fight never ends; we walk it together to represent that we’re a community in this and we’re never alone and we have an end,” she said. “Because we want an end to cancer.”
