According to the American Cancer Society, almost 600,000 Americans will lose their lives to cancer this year. Second only to heart disease, cancer ranks as the leading cause of death in the United States.
In order to raise awareness about cancer, junior Chase Dowling and senior Sydney Frazier started Collins Against Cancer, with Dowling as the president and Frazier as the vice president. After both Dowling and Fraizer lost loved ones to cancer, the two were inspired to start the club.
“We just wanted to get people our age involved,” Frazier said. “We decided to start a club and we thought that the best way to do it was through the school rather than anywhere else because this is where we know people.”
The main purpose of the club is to inform students about the different types of cancer and how many people cancer affects.
“I really want people our age to know that this can happen and that this is a big deal,” Frazier said. “It’s not just something that can just happen to older people, it’s something that can happen to us and it can happen to our friends. It’s not something that we want out there. With that in mind, we can include the aspect of raising funds because the more funds we raise the more money we can give to the researchers finding a cure and the faster we can find a cure and get this gone.”
The club is currently raising funds by selling wristbands for $3 during all lunches. Other than raising funds to find a cure and spreading awareness for all types of cancer, Dowling said the club also provides a safe place for students who have been affected by cancer.
“It’s a place for people to release their emotions and just be happy,” Dowling said. “When people come to the club, they can talk to us if they’re sad or mad or upset about something. It’s just a place where people can come and vent and do great things and feel good about themselves for doing that.”