Colleges Against Cancer held a Holiday Ceremony of Hope Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony was held in Illini Union Room C. More than thirty students were in attendance for the hour-long vigil.

The ceremony was organized by the co-chairs of the survivorship committee, Jessica DeClerk, junior in LAS and Colleen Clyder, senior in LAS. As attendees entered the room, they were asked to write the names of cancer victims or survivors they knew on glowing white bags that formed a circle in front of the chairs where the students sat. Welcome and opening comments were made by DeClerk.

“The ceremony is to recognize and share stories, and also to support one another,” she said.

Speaker and cancer survivor Melissa Doherty, freshman in Education, shared her account of being re-diagnosed with cancer just last year while studying at the University.

“Enjoy everything because it is so unexpected,” Doherty said. “I learned that family is really important.”

After Doherty’s story, Liz Watt, senior in Communications, sang “If You Want Me To” by Ginny Owens. Poems were then read by Clyder and Colleges Against Cancer co-president Rachel Berkson, senior in Education.

“We have so much going on all the time with fundraising for the Relay For Life,” Berkson said. “It’s nice to step back and remember why we are doing what we do.”

The Colleges Against Cancer is a national collaboration of college students, faculty and staff dedicated to fighting cancer, volunteering for the American Cancer Society and improving college communities.

“A lot of people who are involved in Colleges Against Cancer got involved through events like this one,” Berkson said. “It’s comforting for survivors and victims to know that there is a group of people that want to hear their story.”

The last portion of the ceremony consisted of shared memories. Students took turns around a circle talking about how they were affected by cancer.

“It was nice hearing everyone’s stories,” said Caitlin Smith, junior in LAS. Smith has been a cancer survivor for eight years and was recognized during the ceremony.

“I had a lot of friends who went through treatment with me who didn’t survive,” Smith said. “My own experience and the memory of my friends is what influences me to be a part of this.”

Friends of group members were also in attendance.

“I came to the ceremony because a couple of my good friends are involved in Colleges Against Cancer, and they have inspired me to be involved,” said Becca Kohn, senior in Education.

As the ceremony came to an end, the students were offered an opportunity to put the names of loved ones affected by cancer into a gift-wrapped box called “Box of Hope.”

“Even though everyone is stressed with finals, people still took the time out to be here,” Berkson said. “It gives me personal hope that all of the people we love will live on forever in our hearts and in memory.”