A new club on campus, Project CARE, is aiming to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. The goal of the club is to raise $1,000 and participate in the American Cancer Society’s upcoming Relay for Life of Norwalk event.
The club is encouraging students to support and join. The president of the club, Diamond Bracamontes, is optimistic about students becoming more involved in the fight against cancer.
“We are trying to spread awareness about cancer. We want people to know about It,” she said. “We are not only a club, but we can also offer support for people who are going through cancer and to those who know others that are going through it.”
The club has not yet raised any money for cancer research, but its planning future events like bake sales to raise money.
Another future event the club is planning is a Locks of Love event. Where students will have the opportunity to donate their hair to make wigs for children who have cancer.
“It is not only money wise. Even donating hair to make a wig for a person who has lost hair, it is not only very beneficial for them but also for us because we are bringing hope and happiness,” Bracamontes said.
Along with raising money for cancer, the clubs main objective is forming the first ever campus team to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Norwalk event.
Relay for Life of Norwalk is a 24-hour event held at Cerritos College. The relay is the community coming together to raise money and cancer awareness for the American Cancer Society.
According to Toni Grijalva, advisor of the club, Cerritos College has never participated in a Relay for Life event. One of her personal goals is to get the college involved and create teams to participate.
“We have around 22,000 students in Cerritos and it’s a community event taking place in campus. There’s all these other community groups that are involved but we don’t have a team,” she said.
The idea of the relay is to have each participating team camp out overnight. During the 24 hours, each team take turns walking or running around a track. The idea of the relay is that everyone should be vigilant the whole time.
“It’s a fun atmosphere but it also honors cancer survivors and the caregivers of those cancer survivors. It opens everyone’s eyes. Cancer never sleeps so we shouldn’t either,” Grijalva said.
For the time being Project CARE is encouraging students to attend the club meeting and to get them to participate in the Relay for Life event.
Austin Garrido, vice president of the club, said “This is the team for school, not only for the club. Anyone who wants to join, can.”
Relay for Life of Norwalk is a free event held at the Cerritos College soccer field on Saturday, June 7 at 9 a.m.
For more information about Relay for Life of Norwalk, or to sign up to the Cerritos College Project CARE’s team visit their website.
