Friday, June 11, 2010

Relay For Life...and a Wacky Wedding

Today was a busy day for me. I began with an appearance at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. I have participated in the Relay for Life event on Staten Island for six years. I started my involvement with the American Cancer Society when I was a senior in high school as a member of the ACS Teens group. My connection with the organization grew as I became the President and Founder of Colleges Against Cancer, Wagner College Chapter. Our mission was to promote the Relay for Life event through fundraising and education. I went on to become an Ambassador for the American Cancer Society's Celebration on the Hill, in which I traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress for increased funding of cancer research as well as promote my platform, T.E.A.C.H. (making it a nationally recognized program).

Relay for Life was held at my Alma Mata, Wagner College. This event is a celebration for survivors, a memorial for those who are gone, and a way for everyone to show their support for the elimination of cancer in the future. This year's theme is " Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back"- Celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue their fight; Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, those who have walked alongside others battling cancer can grieve and find healing; Fight Back because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

Once I was done with my appearance, I headed to the Hillside Terrace Knights of Columbus because..........
........I had a performance with my theatre company, Kill-Her Entertainment! Usually, the company puts on a musical murder mystery, but this time was different. Kill-Her Entertainment presented the Wacky Luau Wedding Show, a comedy show about an Italian-Irish wedding where anything that can go wrong at a wedding actually does. My character, Shewanna Kahlua, is a Hawaiian dancer brought to the wedding as the entertainment. The company is taking a rest for the summer and will return with a brand new show in the fall. Stay tuned for details.