Up 'til Dawn

Whenever an opportunity arises to support an event involving my platform, I try to do whatever I can to be there -- even if it involves no sleep. That’s why when I was contacted by Janay Bates of St. Jude to take part in their Up ‘til Dawn event at my alma matter, Wagner College, I immediately said yes. I had taken part in this ALL night event as an undergraduate at Wagner and I couldn’t wait to be a part of it once again.

Up 'til Dawn is a nationwide student-led, student-run program in which college students raise funds for and awareness of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The event attempts to unite the entire campus and surrounding community to acknowledge their achievements and honor patients at St. Jude, an event at which students stay “Up ‘til Dawn.” The students’ motto is “cancer doesn’t sleep, so neither should we.” The program is called “Up ‘til Dawn” to symbolize the countless nights that parents stay up with their sick children. This program is hosted by more than 180 colleges nationwide.

As usual, my Mom accompanied me and we armed ourselves with Dunkin’ coffee. Yeah, I was definitely going to need that since the event began at 12 midnight! When we arrived, there were already several students in The Union. I was thrilled to see some of my AOII sisters there in support of St. Jude. There was an assortment of snacks, energy drinks, pasta and desserts to keep everyone going thru the night.

The evening began with some words from Janay and a short video featuring Maggie, a cancer survivor. It really put into perspective what we were all there for; to show our support for children who are facing the hardest battle of their lives. Throughout the night there were games to play, songs to sing and a magician who is a student at Wagner who was pretty amazing. I’m still trying to figure out how the tricks worked!

I am constantly working to promote my platform, "Inspiring Action Against Pediatric Cancer," and these students from Wagner are doing the same. They are getting their peers involved and educating them on the statistics. Together, we can be a strong voice for children with cancer. Thank you Janay for inviting me to this event and to the Wagner College community for welcoming me back!