Cancer is not a dirty word.
That is the message a Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Management Event Planning class of SJSU's department of health science and recreation is trying to spread through their upcoming SpartAwareness event.
The on-campus event will take place today, April 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Campus Village Quad.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 45 percent of males and 38 percent of females will develop some type of invasive cancer in their lifetime.
"People don't like to talk about it," said Monica Vimolchalao, a senior health science major and one of the event's organizers.
She said she hopes SpartAwareness will help unite students and bring supporters together.
The event is backed by sponsors such as the Jacob's Heart and Sharon Randolph foundations as well as ChokeOut Cancer, a foundation that utilizes mixed martial arts as a means to help spread cancer awareness and offers free martial arts fitness classes to low-income families.
According to the organizers, the idea for an event to raise cancer awareness was developed, in part, because of a group member who battled cancer in the past.
"A lot of people in our group have been affected by it in some way," said Lori Salazar, a senior hospitality major and event organizer. "We thought it was an important cause to spread awareness about."
According to Salazar, the event is open to everyone but is targeted mainly towards resident students.
She said she believes this event will be relevant to the many students who have likely dealt with cancer in their lives in one way or another.
It will feature a performance by mixed martial arts fighters of ChokeOut Cancer, henna tattooing, a station to make birthday cards for child cancer patients and resource tables with information on how to donate and other ways to help support the fight to end cancer.
In addition to free food, the event will also feature raffle tickets with prizes ranging from $50 Spartan Shops certificates to gift cards for places including Starbucks and P.F. Chang's.
The group also plans to display a banner on which students can write the names of friends, family members and acquaintances they are supporting in their battles with the disease.
Sherri Legaspi, a senior hospitality major and event organizer, said that through this event she hopes the group can raise awareness to a worthy cause as well as educate their peers.
"A lot of people don't think about it until it happens to their family or friends," said Legaspi. "But it could happen to anyone, It could happen to you."
