Relay for Life nears its fundraising goal

When Fred Kiger found out he had cancer in the fall of 1986, he said he thought he would be having his last Thanksgiving.

When his family was talking about Christmas, he said he had no idea if he would be there.

But 17 years later, he is alive and fighting against the disease he thought would take his life by participating in Relay For Life at UNC, and helping raise money for Relay for Life Chapel Hill.

Kiger, a Civil War lecturer who lives in Chapel Hill, talked about his experience fighting cancer to about 150 students earlier this month.

UNC’s chapter of Relay for Life, a student cancer fundraising organization, held its annual kick-off event in the Student Union on September 26.

And in the two weeks since the event and Kiger’s speech, the participants have already raised $6,072.

“Our goal this year is to raise $170,000,” said Alexa Colasurdo, public relations chairwoman for Relay for Life Chapel Hill.

Will Yokeley, the co-director of Relay for Life Chapel Hill, said Chapel Hill’s event is the largest on the east coast that the nation-wide organization holds.

After Kiger spoke, this year’s theme was revealed as Just Beat It, after Nike’s motto.

“In the past, it’s a little bit traditional, but this year, we have a theme reveal and haven’t told anyone,” Yokeley said.

Colasurdo said she thought the new theme would excite those involved in the relay.

UNC

Organizers of the event took a moment to stand and share their name and the people they were running for — both alive and dead.

“The special part that differs UNC Relay with others is the personnel perspective,” said Yokley. “Everyone here is directly affected by cancer or they want to help someone with cancer.”

By sharing his personal experience of defeating cancer, Kiger expressed the extreme hardship people with cancer go through.

“You learn you have it, you wrestle with it, you see everybody still living a life, and wonder if you will ever have an opportunity,” he said.

He said the cancer didn’t care whether people lived or died, but people should care and that’s the reason for him to join Relay For Life.

Ashley Honeycutt said she is running because she has been fighting cancer with her whole family.

Her dad, aunt and grandfather were all diagnosed with the disease.

Her dad defeated it, her aunt is still fighting, and her grandfather passed away.

Honeycutt said she realized that people could not live forever but there was something people could do now to link their future.

“That’s why I Relay,” she said.