Milton Hershey School Students Honor Those Impacted by Cancer
Milton Hershey School students and staff came together to serve their community at the Relay for Life walk. Relay for Life invites communities to celebrate survivors, honor caregivers, remember loved ones lost, and raise critical funds to help ensure that everyone has the chance to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.
“It helps students build empathy for others,” said Josi Rhoads, MHS Manager of Community Life. “They may not know someone battling cancer. It brings awareness to something they may not have been aware of before.”
During the 12-hour event, students volunteered, walked, and fundraised. This event, like all Relay for Life walks, included a celebration of cancer survivors, a celebration of caregivers, a luminaria ceremony to honor and remember loved ones, and the opportunity to fight back against cancer.
Ebunoluwa Fakiyesi, an MHS senior who volunteered at the event, reflected on her connection to the cause.
“When I first got to MHS, my flex houseparent was a breast cancer survivor,” said Fakiyesi. “She was always positive, and she always made us feel strong.”
Dawn Dudley, a junior, walked for her mom, and she was determined to walk the full 12 hours without stopping. She walked 130 laps.
“My mom had breast cancer and thyroid cancer at the same time she was raising five kids,” said Dudley. “I’m so proud of her. This is nothing compared to that.”
MHS set an ambitious goal of having every student home raise $100 in honor of this year’s theme, Our Pledge, which emphasizes service to others. The collective goal was to raise $50,000. The MHS community rose to the challenge, met it, and surpassed it.
At the closing ceremonies, students saw firsthand the results of their commitment to serving others. MHS raised $80,000.39 for Relay for Life.
“I hope when students see that number, that they feel empowered by what they did,” said Rhoads.