To Thomas Rizzo and Mary Cozad, planning for Relay for Life will be more than just another fundraiser, more than just a walk-a-thon, more than just another cause. These days will be a reminder of the battles won and lost in a fight for life.

Weekly meetings are taking place to plan Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society sponsored event, which will be held April 20 and 21, 2002, at the Chick Evans Field House.

The event is an overnight fundraiser to raise money for cancer research and celebrate cancer survivorship.

Rizzo, chairman of Relay for Life, lost several family members to cancer. He said that joining the cause will help him feel like he’s making a difference.

“My dad died of cancer, and both my grandpas died of cancer,” Rizzo said. “This is my personal way of joining the fight against cancer.”

Money raised at the event will go toward cancer research with the American Cancer Society.

Cozad, a Spanish professor at NIU and a cancer survivor, said that cancer is inevitably something everyone encounters.

“Anyone can get cancer,” she added. “If it can touch my life, it can touch anybody’s life. At some point in their life, if it hasn’t already touched their life, it will.”

Cozad also is a faculty adviser for the event.

Beginning the event will be the cancer survivors’ walk of courage. Survivors of cancer will initiate the race and take the first lap of the event.

At the event, members of teams, each consisting of 10 to 12 members, take turns walking or running around the track for one hour throughout the night. Music, food, contests and prizes will accompany the spirit-filled atmosphere.

As participants of the event take the trip around the track, they’ll be able to recognize those who survived people who were lost to cancer by viewing the lighted luminarias around that track.

“The American Cancer Society is such a worthwhile organization that funds research, offers services to cancer patients, advocates for better cancer and other healthcare legislation and just offers wonderful support for people who are concerned about cancer,” Cozad said.

Attendees also will be able to connect with old friends and make new acquaintances in the Tent City where they can bring their sleeping bags, enjoy entertainment and spend the night celebrating the fight against cancer.

“This is a nice way to get the campus community involved,” Cozad continued. “It raises awareness and also raises money for research, services and advocacy.”

Organization leaders kicked off the event by inviting interested participants to an informational meeting Tuesday night at Pizza Villa. Program leaders invited all concerned members of the academic community to participate in the fight against cancer.

“For people who have survived cancer and are involved in this, it’s very empowering,” Cozad said. “You feel as if you are fighting back.”

The registration fee to take part in the event is $10. For more information about participating in the Relay for Life event, call Amy at 754-5714 or Dave at (800) 942-6985.

“If communities unite and come together, you don’t have to be as afraid of cancer itself,” Rizzo said.

Rizzo encourages interested individuals to become involved early.

Once involved in the weekly meetings, people can join various committees such as the entertainment, luminaria and survivor committees which will help plan out their aspect of the event.

Team members must raise $100 to benefit the ACS. Rizzo said that times like Christmas break and holidays are great opportunities to raise funds. At the weekly meetings, participants are given tips about how and where to raise the funds needed.

“The whole event is to benefit the American Cancer Society,” Rizzo said. “Raising $100 is actually easy if you come to the meetings.”