A cancer diagnosis can often be devastating for victims and their friends and families. However, cancer also has the power to bring people closer together as an effort of prevention.

Colleges Against Cancer is a student organization that was formed to recognize the life and memory of those who have been affected by cancer and raise awareness and funding for national research organizations. This weekend, the ISU chapter of Colleges Against Cancer will hold the Relay For Life event at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center.

This is the first year that the relay has been at Iowa State. Club members said the event planning has gone well so far.

“There’s approximately 80 teams this year, which is amazing for a first time. So we’re very excited about that,” said Emily Houge, junior in animal science and public relations chairwoman for Colleges Against Cancer.

Krystal Obbink, junior in management and the club’s Relay for Life co-chairwoman, said that there are some students who join the organization because they want to help and get involved, but there are a lot of students who were involved in hometown relays or have been affected in some way by cancer.

Obbink said that one of the things she would like to see happen with future relays is to have more people participate and help out with making Colleges Against Cancer become more involved.

“Hopefully things get bigger and better. We hope for a bigger relay next year. It’s a small committee right now of about 30 people. [The relay] is a big event for 30 people to put on,” Obbink said.

After years of continued research, a cure for cancer is still far from reality. What started with one Washington doctor’s personal efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society in 1985 has grown.

Now, the nationwide Relay for Life event raises millions of dollars each year to go toward the efforts of the society.

“My grandma died of cancer. If there would have been prevention back then, she might still be alive – so [the relay] is something to help other people,” Obbink said.

Beth Chamberlin, sophomore in finance and cancer survivor of 14 years, said organizations such as Dance Marathon, The Heart Connection and Relay for Life are great for supporting research causes.

“I think it’s amazing that people that take the time and go out and do things like Relay for Life. It really impresses me. It’s great that you can see people that care so much about other people,” she said.

Each Relay for Life event around the nation selects an honorary survivor each year. Breast cancer survivor Kathy Geoffroy, wife of ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, will be recognized during the opening ceremonies Saturday.

The only other Iowa Regent university that currently hosts a Relay for Life event is the University of Northern Iowa. This year marks its third annual relay, and it has approximately 150 teams participating.

At press time, the ISU Relay for Life participants had made approximately $30,000 in donations to the American Cancer Society. Go to www.cancer.org for more information.