Curing Cancer one campus at a time

It’s no secret that cancer is one of the most heartbreakingly dangerous threats to modern society. It isn’t like other dangers such as drunk driving and drug deaths that can be eradicated through simple prevention measures. 

    Cancer is a deadly force that claims the lives of millions of helpless people every year. It’s a ruthless, indiscriminate killer, and the only hope of stopping it is to find a cure. Unfortunately, such endeavors take large quantities of time and resources, and these resources are too often scarce. 

    One student wants to change that. Concord University senior Anthony Woodyard is taking on the daunting task of planning a major philanthropic event to take place on campus in the coming spring semester. 

    “I’m working with the American Cancer Society to bring an event to Concord in the spring semester,” says Woodyard. “It’s very much like a Relay For Life event. It’s on a smaller scale to accommodate smaller universities and communities. It’s called ‘A Night of Hope with the American Cancer Society.’ The theme this year is ‘One Campus, One Cause: Concord for a Cure.” 

    Woodyard is more than ready to take on this challenge because the American Cancer Society and Relay events have been a majorly influential part of his life for nearly a decade. “I have been working as a volunteer with the American Cancer Society for the last seven years. My home event is the Relay For Life of Giles County, Virginia,” says Woodyard.

Although the American Cancer Society has been major source of inspiration for Woodyard, his own experiences 

with cancer are his driving force in organizing a Night of Hope and striving to make it a success. 

    “I personally know so many people that have been affected by cancer. My family has been affected by cancer, I have been affected by cancer. To be in the capacity to work for an organization by raising funds for research and advocacy and patient care is one of the most rewarding things that I can think of,” he says. 

    To help make this event a reality, Woodyard has enlisted the help of a fellow Concord University student with a particularly strong reason to Relay. “My co-captain for the event is Taylor Brown. She is a student at Concord University and a member of Delta Zeta. She’s 19 years old, and she recently battled acute promyelocytic leukemia. She went through a significant amount of treatment. She’s a survivor,” says Woodyard. He is confident that Brown’s fighting spirit coupled with his own first-hand experience with the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life events will be a major advantage in the establishment of a Night of Hope at Concord University. 

    Along with his co-captain, Woodyard has been working with other resources to plan and orchestrate this event. “I am working with staff partners at the local American Cancer Society office, and I’m also working with Andrew Sulgit, director of student activities,” he says. He has also had contact with Concord University President Dr. Kendra Boggess and will soon be seeking out the help of the Athletics Department to request the use of the track for a Night of Hope. 

    People who have had previous experience with Relay for Life events can expect a Night of Hope to be a familiar event, including common features such as the luminary lighting ceremony and walking around the university’s track in honor and remembrance of those who are or have battled cancer. Vendors will be welcome to sell food, baked goods, scarves, and other items to fund-raise for the cause. 

    Although a major goal for Night of Hope is to raise money towards finding the cure to cancer, it is much more than an evening of remembrance. It’s an evening for the entire combined communities of the university and Athens to come together and fight toward a common goal: ending cancer once and for all. 

A major goal of this event is to show anyone battling cancer or enduring the aftermath of a loved one’s battle with cancer that the Concord community is a beacon of hope and strength. The event will be open to all members of the surrounding communities to come together and take a stand against one of the greatest invisible threats to humanity. “We will invite members of the community, especially those that have been affected by cancer, and we will let them know that Concord University supports them,” says Woodyard. 

     Reaching out particularly to the university’s Greek and social organizations, Woodyard says that a Night of hope is “a fundraising opportunity, it’s a philanthropy opportunity, and it’s a community engagement opportunity for Concord,” Both individuals and campus organizations are strongly encouraged to come out and take part. 

    Although Woodyard will only be at Concord for one Night of Hope event, he is confident in the success of the event and hopeful that someone will be inspired to carry on the legacy of optimism and courage, saying, “Being a graduating senior, it is my hope that I can ignite a passion within at least some of the people on this campus when they see this event taking place in the spring so that next year I can count on them doing it again.” 

Woodyard encourages not only students, but also faculty and members of the Athens community to contact him if they would like to get involved. “There are lots of ways for people to get involved, and they can take as big or small a role as they like. I would be happy to sit down with them and find a way to get them involved.” Anyone who is interested in being involved with a Night of Hope and help make this vision a reality is welcome to email Woodyard at woodyarda15@gmail.com, leaving a voicemail on the Concordian Newspaper telephone at (304)384-5364, or contacting him directly via Facebook. “We have a lot of planning and a lot of work to do,” he emphasizes, so the more help he can get now, the better. 

If nothing else, Woodyard asks this of the Concord community: “I would like to ask people to take a moment, if they’ve never done so before, and think about why they Relay. Everyone has a reason. There are nearly three thousand of us on this campus, and we all have a reason for why we Relay. We have loved ones, friends, family, significant others, or ourselves personally who have been affected by cancer. Let that be your spark. Let that be the catalyst that engages you to join this cause and let us ring true with this year’s theme and be One Campus, One Cause, Concord for a Cure.”