NipU students pull through for cancer

Cancer survivors 7-year-old Jessica Sheldon and Dana Luffman are greeted by student organisers.

Following a bumpy introduction to city bylaws which included a special lunchtime meeting of North Bay City Council Friday to grant a noise by-law exception, students at Nipissing University got down to business with the second annual Inter-Residents' Council’s Relay for Life at Governor’s House Residence Friday night.

Sara Brown and Kayla Reinert, who introduced the event to the school last year, say they were ruffled but not broken and happy to see the event go ahead once a again.

Reinert says the event is one way for students to give back the community as well as offering an opportunity for students to get to know one and other.

Although some neighbours on Cedar Heights objected to the event the once underway the evening offered plenty of excitement on top of walking the track as throughout the night there was music, dancing and a spirit of community.

For Dana Luffman, who had cancer when she was 12 years old, the event was a sense of great support for the 2nd year concurrent Education student.

“I’m glad we can do this,” she says.

“It brings more awareness for people in my age group. It’s rare to find someone who hasn’t been affected by cancer but when they see someone in my age group or younger it his home hard.”

The group raised just over $18,000 surpassing last year’s inaugural total of $15,000 for the local Cancer Society.