Colleges Against Cancer holding two kickoff events this week

Cornell College’s chapter of Colleges Against Cancer will hold a Relay for Life kickoff celebration this week, including a lecture March 10 and a party March 11.

On March 10, Van Tompkins will talk about his research into cancer from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Shaw Conference Room in The Commons. Tompkins received his doctorate in 2007 from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Iowa and is pursuing postdoctoral.  He has been studying the role of a protein as a possible tumor suppressor.  His work is supported by an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship. Sylvia Anspanch from the American Cancer Society will also be on hand to talk about  the CPS-3 study.  The goal is to enroll 500,000 Americans between the ages of 30- 65, with no personal history of cancer, with the purpose of better understanding the lifestyle, behavioral, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer and ultimately eliminate cancer as a major health problem for this and future generations.  More information on this study can be found at: www.cancer.org/cps3.

The group will also be having a birthday party for all on the Orange Carpet in The Commons with games, prizes and cupcakes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 11. The American Cancer Society theme this year is “Celebrate More Birthdays.” There will also be an opportunity for individuals to sign-up for teams and get registered for the Relay for Life.

The American Cancer Society supports survivors, patients, caregivers and research and runs the annual Relay for Life.