With warm weather comes the season of Relay For Life, and clubs and organizations all across USC's campus are preparing for the yearly event on Friday, April 15.
USC Relay For Life set a record in 2014, raising a total of $168,438 for cancer research. According to Relay For Life Community Manager Stephanie Reely, this year's relayers are hoping to hit the $200,000 mark and shatter the previous record.
Over 70 active teams and over a thousand participants overall are expected to attend Friday's event. So far they have raised $157,225, and the number is growing. Relay For Life means many things for different people, but to Reely, it symbolizes hope and a cure for cancer in our lifetime.
"It's so important because cancer doesn't discriminate. It affects all ages, races and genders," Reely said. "And we should be doing everything we can to raise money and awareness so we can have a world with less cancer and more people celebrating birthdays!"
Third-year public health student Kylie Haverstick is excited to be involved with the fight for a cure.
"Cancer patients go through so much that no one can fully understand unless you are battling it and Relay For Life embraces all aspects of the fight," Haverstick said.
Relay For Life's main event will begin Friday at 7 p.m. at Blatt Field.