LC relays, raises funds for cancer
Chelsea Haddaway
Issue date: 4/19/05 Section: Arts & Society
At last weekend's Relay for Life, volunteers from Loyola and the surrounding community may have banded together towards a single cause, but each person in attendance had their own unique reason for joining the fight against cancer.
Relay for Life attendees Maria Spinnato and Tim Whittle met when they were both teenagers with cancer. Spinnato was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 12, Whittle with leukemia at 18.
"We met at a 'teenagers with cancer' event, and she actually convinced me to volunteer at a camp for kids with cancer," Whittle said. "We became friends, and we've been together ever since."
Spinnato and Whittle, who are now 25 and 27 respectively, describe themselves as practically married. They are both sit on the committee for Camp Sunrise, an annual week-long camp for children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer.
Both are cancer-free or as they said in perfect unison "so far so good."
Their involvement with Camp Sunrise brought them to Loyola's Relay, where they were speaking about the camp.
They said that they were impressed with the Relay, especially because it was the school's first.
"It's overwhelming to see all of the support, everyone cares and everyone's enthusiasm, and the students .... it's amazing," Spinnato said.
They said that one of their favorite events was the survivor's lap that kicked off the night
"Everyone was cheering everybody on, and the kids that were holding the banner were giving each other high-fives," Spinnato said.
The two students who carried the banner were selected from the students at the event. Sophomore Brigid Hanahan was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 7, and her boyfriend Christopher Johnson, while never having the disease himself, witnessed several family members' bouts with it.
"It didn't start affecting me until I was old enough to realize what really happened, and it made me realize how lucky I am," Hanahan said.
Relay for Life attendees Maria Spinnato and Tim Whittle met when they were both teenagers with cancer. Spinnato was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 12, Whittle with leukemia at 18.
"We met at a 'teenagers with cancer' event, and she actually convinced me to volunteer at a camp for kids with cancer," Whittle said. "We became friends, and we've been together ever since."
Spinnato and Whittle, who are now 25 and 27 respectively, describe themselves as practically married. They are both sit on the committee for Camp Sunrise, an annual week-long camp for children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer.
Both are cancer-free or as they said in perfect unison "so far so good."
Their involvement with Camp Sunrise brought them to Loyola's Relay, where they were speaking about the camp.
They said that they were impressed with the Relay, especially because it was the school's first.
"It's overwhelming to see all of the support, everyone cares and everyone's enthusiasm, and the students .... it's amazing," Spinnato said.
They said that one of their favorite events was the survivor's lap that kicked off the night
"Everyone was cheering everybody on, and the kids that were holding the banner were giving each other high-fives," Spinnato said.
The two students who carried the banner were selected from the students at the event. Sophomore Brigid Hanahan was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 7, and her boyfriend Christopher Johnson, while never having the disease himself, witnessed several family members' bouts with it.
"It didn't start affecting me until I was old enough to realize what really happened, and it made me realize how lucky I am," Hanahan said.