The foundation uses funds to research cancers across the board including thyroid cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, melanoma and many more. The institute researches the genealogy of cancers in efforts to locate the disease in humans faster as well as treat it more safely and efficiently.

At UCSD, Sigma Chi places a swing and its booth on library walk for 24 hours per day from Monday all the way through Thursday. Sororities nominate a “Derby Darling” who will represent her chapter at every “swing time” and rally her sisters to get excited about the week’s festivities. Sororities pick three-hour windows from Monday through Thursday for their swing times. During these three-hour blocks, sorority members swing nonstop until the next sorority arrives for their chosen swing time. 

The week is full of fun activities like an Inter-Fraternity Council sumo-wrestling competition, sorority bake sales in which funds are donated to the HCI, and penny wars. The week ended on Thursday evening with a fun rendition of the popular 1970s show, “The Dating Game,” in which the Derby Darlings from the top seven-earning sororities participated and asked anonymous Sigma Chis questions about their ideal date scenarios.

Although these events fostered fun competition, it is important to note that UCSD stood up together to raise the money for cancer research. The IFC, Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Group Council all worked cohesively at UCSD this year to help the Iota Chi chapter raise just over $12,000 for the HCI. John Huntsman Sr. matches every single dollar raised by each chapter across the United States in donations.

Derby Days truly was a blast and a success. Unfortunately, over 12 million people globally will learn they have cancer this year. While Derby Days has ended, our battle against cancer hasn’t. Give hope to those who may not feel it at the moment. I truly believe that anything you do makes a difference in someone else’s life, even if that something amounts to $1. You can donate to the URL below. Have a great day and thank you so much.

http://www.huntsmancancer.org/giving/huntsman-cancer-foundation/ways-to-give/donate-online

— Joey Tompkins
Freshman, Eleanor Roosevelt College