Holy Cross Aims to Break Records in the Fight Against Cancer

WORCESTER, Mass. – Students, faculty, and staff from the College of the Holy Cross will join thousands of people from Central Massachusetts on Sun., Sept. 28 for the 10th annual Walk to Cure Cancer, a day of celebration, remembrance, and action.

The College is a flagship sponsor of this unique fundraising event, which over the years has raised millions of dollars to support cutting-edge cancer research and build the UMass Memorial Cancer Center, the world class research center in Worcester.

Last year, 250 students, faculty, and staff from Holy Cross participated in the walk and raised over $18,000. With more extensive outreach this year, the College hopes to exceed those records.

"When I began the Walk six years ago it was to support a Holy Cross employee, in the years to follow I added my aunt, my best friend, my mother-in law, my mother, my stepfather and now my stepmother,” says Elizabeth Rice, a participant and conference services manager at the College. “With the exception of my mother-in-law and aunt, they all continue to bravely fight to win the battle. The walk is always a glorious day filled with inspiration and a day that gives me hope."

Molly Cook ’09, is one of the many students organizing teams and raising money among friends and classmates, “I have decided to join the Walk to Cure Cancer this year because it allows those of us who have not had cancer the opportunity to stand strongly beside our companions who have. My aunt is battling cancer right now, and I am continuously impressed by her resilience. I will be walking for her on September 28th.”

The Walk to Cure Cancer begins and ends at UMass Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, and follows a five-mile (or optional one-mile) loop around Lake Quinsigamond. Every Holy Cross walker will receive a purple T-shirt, with space on the back to write the name of the person for whom you're walking.

Holy Cross participants will meet on campus the day of the walk (Sunday, Sept. 28) from 10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. in the Hogan Campus Center third floor lobby, for walker registration. Pledge sheets and money will be collected, and T-shirts will be distributed.  Bus service to and from UMass Medical School will be provided the morning of the walk, leaving from Hogan at 11:15 a.m. A group photo of all Holy Cross participants will be taken upon arrival at the walk, at 11:30 a.m. on South Rd., station 1.

Holy Cross participants providing their own transportation to UMass on the day of the walk can register with pledge sheets and donations, and receive a T-shirt at the Hogan first floor lobby table on Friday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pre-walk entertainment includes a concert by Recording Artist and Star of The Young and the Restless Michael Damian.

Walker Registration Forms and Sponsor Sign Up Sheets are available in displays at Cool Beans, Crossroads, and other locations throughout Hogan. They are also available online.

If you’re not available to walk, but would still like to participate, Holy Cross needs help with set-up, T-shirts, collecting registration forms, and other logistics at Hogan the Sunday morning of the Walk. Please contact Laura Searles in public affairs to volunteer or if you have any questions.

For more information about the walk visit www.walktocurecancer.com.