DHS Students Organize to Fight Cancer

A world with more birthdays and less cancer is the goal of students Jessie Arenson, Jessie Stein and Samantha Soloway.

The three young women are youth volunteer organizers for the June 9 and 10 at Deerfield High School’s Adams Field. The annual event raises money to fight the disease and increases awareness, according to spokesperson Janet Pacanowski.

A reason Arenson is part of the youth leadership is the loss of her grandmother to cancer. She wants to do something to make sure others have plenty of opportunities to spend birthdays with loved ones.

“My reason to relay is for prevention,” Arenson said. “My grandmother taught me about what it means to be a strong person and a leader. I relay because I don't want any more people to be lost, as I did when she passed away.”

Arenson spoke at a March 10 teen kickoff for Relay for Life along with Stein and Soloway.

Relay For Life is an overnight event where teams of local businesses, schools, churches, community groups and families build awareness and raise funds to fight cancer. The fundraising has already begun and will continue throughout the Relay.

While the main objective of Relay For Life is to raise money for cancer research and cancer patients, it helps spread cancer awareness, celebrate the lives of survivors, remember those who lost their lives to cancer and unite a community in the fight against cancer, according to Pacanowski.