Bake Sale for Ithaca Cancer Resource Center
Holly Zheng
Donating to cancer research sometimes seems like you’re throwing your money into a black hole labeled “potential future treatments”. It’s hard to see the immediate impact of your donations – partly due to the long and arduous journey any treatment has to undergo before being clinically approved, but also because most research, well, just fails.
The Ithaca Cancer Resource Center has avoided the “esoteric cancer research center” and truly has been a gem to this community. During their annual fundraisers, the Lammerding Lab hosts a bake sale in an effort to give back to an organization that has greatly helped one of its members. An old teacher of one of the researchers was diagnosed with cancer a few years back and was uncomfortable receiving treatment at the local hospital. She had expressed her concerns and the Ithaca Cancer Resource Center helped her transfer her medical care (and cover some expenses) to Weill Cornell Hospital in NYC. Since then, every year, Dr. Lammerding and his lab have hosted this bake sale to raise funds so such services can be offers to others in need.
It’s important to remember with any individual diagnosed with cancer (or other diseases) that their needs ALWAYS come first. I know a few classmates who work at the local hospital and always recite glowing reviews. Her decision to pursue treatment at Weill isnot a dig at Cayuga Medical Center and should serve as a lesson to always try and refocus our attention on what is important – the patient and his/her comfort. Alpha Phi Omega has generously offered to help with this bake sale, and this is the second year it has been a partner. Volunteers advertise by word of mouth and posters around campus, and on the day, they sell as many baked goods before the building closes. Events like this bring out the best in everyone – brothers often bring boxes upon boxes of baked goods of their own creation to contribute, others brings hordes of hungry friends, and some people leave an extra few dollars as a thank you for a family member or friend who had cancer. Last year, APO helped raise $2400 for this bake sale, with every single item sold for only $1. This year, in the first day alone, we raised $1100 and are on track to exceed last year’s totals during Bake Sale Part 2! Thank you, everyone, in APO for all of your help and your love for this event! Happy eating!!
