Nine students of Utah State University's management 3110 class have partnered with the school’s Sigma Chi fraternity for an assignment that will raise funds for cancer research. They’ve named it “Car Smash for Cancer.” Inspired by their home game against Brigham Young University on Friday, they’re encouraging students to take a hit at a BYU-themed car on Thursday to prepare for the game and raise money for cancer research. For Trevor Long, one of the organizers, cancer hits close to home.
“My mom has been affected by brain cancer," Long said. "She’s had two tumors on her pituitary gland. It’s kind of hit home a little bit with me. And she actually had surgery down in Salt Lake.”
State Cancer Profiles, a government website, lists Utah as having an low incident rate for cancers overall. However, Utah is one of the top six states for brain cancer.
The funds raised at the Car Smash for Cancer event will go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Lori Kun, the director of development at the Institute, said this generation of fundraisers has a high goal.
“It’s especially tender to have our home town Sigma Chi chapters and young people in general," Kun said. "They want to be the generation to end cancer; it’s just really very inspiring.”
According to Britany Chamberlain, one of the organizers of the event, they wanted to do something substantial that set them apart from the rest of their class saying, “Go big or go home.”
“Our goal is $1,000. We’ve been advertising it all across campus," Chamberlain said. "Our rate is one dollar for one hit with a sledgehammer, three for five and five dollars for ten hits. We think we can, we could easily get a thousand people to walk by the corner, especially with our advertising. Even if everyone paid a dollar we should still be able to hit our goal.”
The event is taking place at the Sigma Chi parking lot on the corner of 800 East and 700 North from 9 am to 4 pm. For more information email Chamberlain.
