Tuesday, Apr 2, 2013
Rider’s largest student-run event, Relay for Life 2013, will begin Saturday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center on the Lawrenceville campus.
by Lauren Adams
To give up one night, to give a donation to help fight cancer, to help create more birthdays is only a part of what Rider’s Relay for Life is all about. Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s signature event, gives everyone in the community a chance to participate in a truly remarkable cause. In doing so, participants have a chance to remember loved ones who have lost the battle to cancer, support those who are fighting it now and celebrate those who have conquered it.
The 2013 91 Relay for Life event will begin Saturday, April 6, at 8 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center. This year’s theme will be “Luau.” Participants organize teams and walk around a track all night, with each team keeping at least one member on the track at all times during the night to symbolize the idea that “cancer never sleeps.” Pre-registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and registration begins at 6:30 p.m.
Bridget Guardia ’14, an International Business and Marketing dual major, and this year’s Relay for Life coordinator, hopes to make this year’s event even bigger than last.
“I’m grateful for so many clubs and organizations that have reached out to me asking to be a part of this year’s Relay,” Guardia said. “It’s wonderful to see how important Relay for Life has become to the Rider community.”
Teams will be organized and entered by many Rider student organizations, including sports teams, Greek chapters, clubs, honor societies and individuals. Each entry conceives a team name and shirt representing their contribution to the fight. This year, 56 teams and 671 participants have registered for Relay so far.
At the opening ceremony, Ashley Pichardo ’12, a recent Rider graduate who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in October 2012, will share with the Relay participants her current journey with cancer. As a student, Pichardo was a student leader in the Rider Bonner Community Scholar Program and the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), as well as a sister of Lamba Theta Alpha, Latin Sorority, Inc.
Pichardo had just begun a full-time year of service with AmeriCorps with the Rider Bonner Scholar Program when she was diagnosed with AML. Since her diagnosis, she has had several rounds of induction chemotherapy, as well as a lifesaving bone marrow transplant, and is now on her way toward remission. You can learn more about journey through her blog at .
To join the fight against cancer, visit or contact Bridget Guardia at guardiab@rider.edu.