The University of Wyoming continues to take steps to fight for cancer patients! Last weekend's fifth annual University of Wyoming American Cancer Society Relay for Life raised $24,000 to support the society’s mission of saving lives from cancer.

Volunteers were exhausted, but happy, after walking throughout the night in UW’s War Memorial Fieldhouse.

“Through their hard work in preparing for the event, and by spending hours walking for the cause, UW students certainly did their part to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays," says Bree Mulvaney, one of the 2013 Relay for Life co-chairs.

The top individual fundraiser was Miranda Moffett, a senior from Casper, who collected $1,675 in donations. The top fundraising team was Inez’s Team, led by Jessica Colehour, which raised $3,430.

The top recognized student organization, for the second consecutive year, was Air Force ROTC, which had at least one member running the event the entire time, along with the Army ROTC team. The top fraternity was Lambda Chi Alpha, and Kappa Kappa Gamma was the top sorority.

More than 430 people, represented by 38 teams, participated. The teams were composed of campus organizations, friends and family teams, and even a few companies in the Laramie community.

“More than 2,600 people in the state of Wyoming alone will face a cancer diagnosis this year,” says Taler Steir, another of the 2013 co-chairs. “It’s critical that we come together during the relay to help the American Cancer Society achieve its mission of saving lives by helping people stay well, by helping people get well, by finding cures and by fighting back."

The American Cancer Society University of Wyoming Relay for Life was made possible by the following sponsors: Amazing Rayz; Associated Students of UW; Bath and Body Works; Boomer’s BBQ; Domino’s Pizza; First Interstate Bank; Great Clips; Jimmy John’s; The Knothole; The Library Sports Grille; McAlister’s Deli; Pepsi; Pizza Hut; The Pointe Apartments; Scrap Tree; Wells Fargo; UW Athletics Department; and UW Center for Advising and Career Services.

The American Cancer Society is the nation’s largest nongovernmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion. As a result, more than 11 million people in the United States who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate birthdays this year.

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