Cancer has touched the lives of the Delta Chi Fraternity men.

Member Justin Larsen said students in the fraternity feel connected with each other because many, including him, have had family members die from cancer.

For that reason, Delta Chi has organized their first philanthropy initiative called “Jimmy V Cancer Awareness Week.” From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday through Thursday in Dusable Hall and the Holmes Student Center, the fraternity has been selling bracelets to raise money for the V Foundation which funds cancer research. Larsen said the V Foundation was started by Jim “Jimmy V” Valvano who coached at North Carolina State University and was later a broadcaster for ESPN. After being diagnosed with cancer, Valvano, with the help of ESPN, started the V Foundation in 1993. Valvano died later that year.

Delta Chi Fraternity member Eric Evans said he admires Valvano.

“He was a well-known figure because of his demeanor,” Evans said. “After he was diagnosed with cancer, he moved people by the way he talked and carried himself.”

They will conclude their week-long initiative by having the First Annual Earthball Philanthropy Competition at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Intramural Fields.

Evans said earthball has soccer rules with a little bit of a twist. Teams of six play with an 8-foot tall earthball, which looks like an oversized soccer ball. Members of different sororities will play, while Delta Chi members referee the 20 minute games and sell items, Evans said. The event is open for anyone to attend, he said.

The Delta Chi chapter at NIU started in November and this is the first major philanthropy event the social fraternity has organized, Larsen said. They hope to make the earthball event happen every year, he said.

“We can all relate to cancer in some way,” Larsen said. “We care about the cause and we rant to raise money for it so eventually a cure can be found for cancer.”

Bracelets, t-shirts, pizza, and drinks will be sold at the Earthball event and all proceeds will be donated to the V Foundation, said Larsen, who is the Jimmy V Week philanthropy chairman. A disc jockey will also be at the event.