The sharp smell of antiseptic and latex fill your nostrils as the hot air from your breath reflects off your surgical mask and onto your face. There is a white noise and a sound of shuffling feet with hushed whispers. Walking slowly to her room, your tears are choked back as the door creaks open and she is lying there, shallowly breathing. The heart monitor beeps monotonously while the sound resonates perpetually in your mind. Her desperate wails echo hoarsely as she cries, begging to embrace her children one last time. A long tone rings. She has lost her battle. A daughter, a mother, a sister a wife and a friend, she will be no more.

      Whether we choose to accept it or not, cancer continues to affect lives at a global scale, robbing us of extraordinary people left and right. We all know someone who has had cancer and/or is battling cancer currently.  Having cancer places an immense financial burden for one to carry on their shoulders. People lose their houses because they can no longer pay their mortgage and their medical bills. It is an awful feeling to not be able to help the pain a loved one is going through. You feel utterly helpless as you watch a person you love suffer.

      However, this generation can bring about change and can create a brighter future for those battling cancer both now and later. 

     For example, this year, I decided to become a team captain for Relay for Life. 

     You may ask, what on earth is that? 

     Well, Relay is an annual event run by the American Cancer Society and brings communities together in the fight against cancer.  Teams of friends, family, and coworkers can walk a track and enjoy all of the fun-filled activities at this family-friendly fundraiser. Relay also lasts for 24 hours to symbolize that cancer never sleeps and that the battle is never truly over for cancer survivors.  

     After my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2013, I could not bare to sit around and do nothing while there were others in the world, helping find a cure. I have seen the harrowing effects of chemotherapy first hand, and to be able to save our future from such pain is something incredibly dear to me. 

      How can YOU get involved?

       It is not difficult at all to get involved. If you type "Relay for Life" in your search engine, click on the first result you see and search for an event in your area by zip code/name.  For more information, visit: https://secure.acsevents.org/s...

     Even if you can't participate in a local event, please consider donating. 

     My team, "All You Need is Love" is more than willing to accept donations, and all of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.  I will include the link down below, and with your charity and compassion, you are helping to make a difference, and I could not thank you enough. main.acsevents.org/goto/liayn

     I would also like to thank the FusFoo team for their generosity. I will be forever thankful for your help. 

    Just like the Beatles song says, all you need is love.