My mom used to tell me questions make people smarter. Mainly because I ran my mouth asking “why?” to everything. Now, I wonder most of all why cancer still kills.

Cancers killed 14,090,100 worldwide in 2012. That’s 14 million individuals whose lives were cut short; their deaths leaving two… four… or easily twenty times more people empty, damaged, lost.

Obviously there’s not a simple path to finding a cure, and even if there were some magical ingredient, perhaps it’s gone forever from endangered ecosystems due to global climate change. Or maybe curing cancer is a relative process unique to every case? Or, what if we’re just a few steps from the answer?
The American Cancer Society is working towards finding a cure. They are the “official sponsor of birthdays” which is an awfully morbid thing to say. My dad has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer and I cannot imagine passing July 2 without him.

February is National Cancer Prevention Month. Whether this means there are extra efforts put into fundraising or if it is simply a time to raise awareness, both are worthwhile efforts.

To do my part in raising awareness, I want to participate in Relay for Life, to dedicate some of my time to learning about cancer, helping to raise money for some great cancer organization. I’d rather my efforts be in vain than plainly nonexistent.

In terms of Relay for Life’s efforts, there are amazing opportunities to devote time to the cause. There’s an online challenge that Dickinson is a part of called February Frenzy. Right now, the school with the highest percentage of donations per participant received online until February 21 will win Round 3. This will give Dickinson a number of points that will count towards our overall score to be the online champion.

Round 4 will begin 12am on February 16 through 11:50pm on February 28. The highest percentage of participants who raise $100 each online will win the last round.
Points aside though, it would be nice to just donate. If you would like to do your part, you can go to the Relay for Life website and make an account to donate. Once you log in all you need to do is find an event by typing a zip code, then choose a team under your event. Everyone can join Dickinson’s Relay for Life team called, Conquer Cancer.