UC Irvine Cancer Walk Raises Big Dollars for Cancer Research

JUST DO GOOD CAMPAIGN RUNNER UP
Bridgette Jeffcoat
Manager, Student Life & Activities
UC Irvine

"UCI's Chao Cancer Center started a walk/run about 5 years ago. I've participated in it every year except when it didn't physically run because of COVID. Each year I invited people to join. The first few years a handful of our international students joined me. Then after COVID, I invited the DCE staff for the first time. Only my friend Mike joined me and I arranged for several students to volunteer for the event.

"This summer their registration drive geared up and I decided to ask again. I was so pleased when staff started asking me details about the event. They wanted to know if they were fast enough for it. Could they do it? How would they raise money, etc?

"I was so pleased when I was able to get 12 staff in one week to join our team and secure us a tent at the start area. After that, an anonymous staff reached out to match our team's fundraising up to $1000. I was really blown away by that.

"Before the big day, a few of us met to do a training run. That helped some realize that they could walk the event and be fine. By the event our team had grown to 34 people and they raised around $3500 for cancer research here at our amazing school. I was so blown away by the participation and generosity, and by how it helped some on the team feel connected and empowered."