Oncology group to walk in Relay for Life event

Members of the UF Small Animal Hospital oncology group, pictured, will be participating in the Relay for Life cancer awareness event on April 12.
Members of the UF Small Animal Hospital’s oncology service are participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event on April 12 and are hoping for a little help from their friends to boost their fundraising efforts.
“As oncologists, we want to support awareness of human and animal cancer, in honor of our patients, past, present and future,” said Dr. Lyndsay Kubicek, a radiation oncologist and clinical assistant professor with the UF CVM. “Cancer touches all walks of life, and as advocates for our patients, we want to spread the word of our mission.”
Kubicek said the oncology group planned to bring a banner of pictures of their patients on the night of the relay.
“We thought that having veterinary cancer survivors being seen, along with human survivors, would be uplifting to many groups and individuals participating in the event,” she said, adding that this is the first time the oncology service will have participated as a group, although many of its members have participated as part of other groups in the past.
“At this time we have members of our faculty, residents and nurses from oncology participating,” Kubicek said. “We are still working on our final plans for fundraising, and are thinking of raffles or candy-grams for Valentines Day and other ways to generate support. Our group goal is $2,500, which I think we can make.”
She added, “Oncologists are optimistic by nature.”
Click here to access the group’s page on the Relay for Life website and make a donation.
Each year, about 4 million people in more than 20 countries take part in Relay for Life, a global event, and in doing so raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer, according to the ACS website.