Before coming to Stanford, my dad was diagnosed with melanoma cancer. He has been struggling with this difficult condition these past five years. He has undergone countless surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, vaccine therapy and various other treatments. It has been a very difficult time for my family, making it challenging sometimes to concentrate on my work at Stanford.

I know that others in the Stanford community have been deeply affected by cancer. The first girl who I talked to at Stanford, who I later married, had kidney cancer as a child. She had one of her kidneys removed and underwent chemotherapy. Fortunately, her hair grew back in its beautiful curly fashion and today she is left only with memories of doctor visits and a foot-long scar.

We lost one of our beloved Kimball Hall dormmates, known for his kindness and music, to bone cancer a couple years ago. Countless other Stanford students, faculty and staff have also been personally affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly. Cancer is one of the few things that does not discriminate.

Last year, my wife and I decided to found Colleges Against Cancer, a voluntary student organization with the mission to fight cancer through awareness, advocacy, service and research. A committee of a dozen students organized the Relay For Life held at Gunn High School. (Of course, UC-Berkeley had to copy us, and so they held their own relay in Edwards Stadium!) This year, a stellar committee of 25 students has been organizing the Relay For Life to be held in Stanford Stadium this Friday and Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 12 p.m., which is free and open to the entire University population and surrounding community.

The Relay For Life consists of many different aspects rolled into one. It is an opportunity to promote health and educate the community about cancer issues — such as prevention, early detection, treatment and ongoing research. It is also a time when we can honor those who are fighting cancer and remember those who we have lost to cancer. Any money raised during the relay goes to benefit the American Cancer Society, the most experienced cancer control organization in the world and the largest private nonprofit source of funding for scientists studying cancer. The Relay For Life is also designed to be fun, with various forms of entertainment and activities, including performances by Stanford a cappella groups, bands and dance troupes. Teams camp out overnight in tents on Foster Field in the Stanford Stadium.

We have over 40 committed teams composed of Stanford undergraduate and graduate residences, fraternities and sororities, local high schools, faculty and staff, oncologists and surgeons, athletic teams, student groups, survivors, and community members. These teams have been involved in finding sponsors and raising money for the cause. In addition to the official teams, we expect many more participants to show up on the day of the event and walk a few laps, light some luminaria, and participate in the activities.

The outpouring of support and community involvement has been amazing. With all the trouble in the world today, people seem especially eager to involve themselves in a good cause.

I’m doing the Relay For Life for my dad. Sometimes I feel very powerless when he is in a lot of pain, but the event has given me something to do that provides hope for the future and makes a tangible difference in the lives of many other people. I’m doing this for my wife, who is alive today because of research done shortly before her birth, and for all those who do not want to lose someone they love. So, bring your friends out on Friday, walk and have fun, learn about cancer, and support the cause!

Mykel Kochenderfer is a co-terminal student in computer science and the chair of this year’s Relay For Life and president of Colleges Against Cancer. Contact him at mykel@stanford.edu. Details about the Stanford Relay For Life may be found at http://relayforlife.stanford.edu.