UTM hosted its first annual St. Jude “No More Cancer” Rally on March 22 in the Elam Center.
Shae Tyler, a senior Political Science major from Memphis, planned and hosted the event alongside Ashton Sawyers, a senior Health and Human Performance major from Antioch.
Tyler decided to coordinate the event because of her lifelong friendship with Macy Morgan, a girl she met in elementary school who was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia.
“She went through a really hard time with it,” Tyler said. “Luckily we were from Memphis, so she was able to get treated by St. Jude…that girl is now my best friend and maid of honor. Without St. Jude, I wouldn’t have her.”
Morgan is now a senior Sports Management major at UTC.
St. Jude Hospital in Memphis is a world-renowned hospital that offers free cancer treatment to children and their families, whose programs and treatment
The No More Cancer Rally had 102 participants who ended up raising $10,798.00, exceededing their goal of $10,000. According to Tyler, the event was a huge hit for the UTM campus and a success for St. Jude.
This fundraising event was a first for UTM. Prior to March 22, participants raised money through online donations. These online donations contribute to funding St. Jude’s “No More Chemo Parties”.
“No More Chemo Parties” are hosted every time a child who is staying at St. Jude has completed their last chemotherapy treatment.
For more information about the “No More Cancer” Rally, contact next year’s host, Sydney Roney, a freshman Health and Human Performance major from Clarksburg, at sydmrone@ut.utm.edu.
