Wade Barker - The Battalion Telecommunication media studies major Heidi Parsons stands with a Relay for Life Banner at the Penberthy Intramural Sports Complex.

Heidi Parsons was 16 years old when her dad died of stomach and esophagus cancer. A school counselor referred her to the American Cancer Society to help during the grieving period.

It was there that Parsons learned about the Relay for Life, a celebration of cancer survivors and a fundraiser for cancer research.

At age 18, Parsons started the first Relay for Life in her hometown of DeSoto. Now, at age 22, she and 21 other Aggies on the Relay for Life committee are about to see seven months of work come to fruition.

"If I can help in finding a cure for cancer so that another woman does not have to wonder who will walk her down the aisle, this is all worth it," said Parsons, a telecommunications and media studies major.

At 7 p.m. Friday, nearly 1,200 participants will gather at Penberthy Intramural Fields on West Campus for a night of walking, running, games, music and food, all in an effort to "beat the hell outta cancer," Parsons said. The event will include a survivors' walk, an obstacle course complete with cancer information and a banner that participants will sign and Parsons will take to Washington, D.C. in September when she speaks to U.S. congressmen.

"It's an overnight event to signify that cancer never sleeps," Parsons said.

In its first year on campus, the event has broken the collegiate relay record with 106 teams participating. A&M will also likely be in the running for the most money raised per capita and in total, along with the University of Texas and Texas Tech University, said Beth Sawtelle, executive director of the American Cancer Society in Bryan.

In Brazos County, almost 400 new cases of cancer occur annually, Sartwelle said. The cancer society office provides a range of free services to cancer patients and their families in eight counties in the Brazos Valley. Sartwelle said all of the money raised in the Aggie Relay for Life stays local.

The event has raised $81,395 as of Wednesday, Parsons said, not including business donations or the donations made by RecSports for the fields, electricity and tents participants will use.

Student Body President Jim Carlson said the Aggie Relay for Life provides students with an opportunity to unite for a worthy cause.

"It's an established event that doesn't deliver credit to any one person or organization," he said.

Carlson said it was a mutual decision on the part of the TAMU Cancer Society and the Student Government Association to present this event, and he hopes that it will be an annual occurrence.

"Although we've beaten the college record this year, we can do so much better," he said. "It's such a great cause."

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