By Michael Travis
Editor in Chief
Not many people know what it is like to be stuck in bed with a life-threatening disease.
Leukemia is one such disease, and it strikes 3,250 children in the United States every year. Although many of those afflicted can be cured, some of the disease’s victims don’t make it — and the experience is never a pleasant one.
Resident Advisors and Student Advisors from Rho, Fifield, Debell, Sigma and Hayes halls recently decided to try and help the fight against this life-threatening childhood illness through an event dubbed Lockdown for Leukemia.
The program enlisted the help of two freshmen who volunteered to experience one of the many side-effects of the illness — being stuck in bed.
Andrew Burke of Rho Hall and Brian LeBlanc of Fifield Hall will remain bedridden for five days in a row, from today at 5 p.m. until Tuesday at noon.
“We hope to empathize with how (these children) experience the last months of their lives,” said freshman Lucas Cherry, an organizer of the event. He is also the SA of Fifield Hall. “It will give everyone involved a lesson on what it is like to take care of someone that can’t leave their bed.”
Burke and LeBlanc will not be allowed to leave their beds for any reason, not even to use the bathroom.
“I’m proud of this event because it’s the sort of proactive social action you would expect to see at a larger, more liberal school like U.C. Berkeley,” said Marcus Rodriguez, RA of Rho Hall. Rodriguez was also a key organizer of the event. “I hope to inspire my residents to believe that they can make a difference.”
Cherry and Rodriguez have been working the Oasis every day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to gather pledges. So far, they have gathered roughly $1,800, short of their $3,000 goal. They will be collecting donations through Monday.
The final goal of the program is to take the money raised to a children’s hospital that engages in childhood leukemia research.
Participants in the program will go to the hospital, present the check in a ceremony and spend time with children afflicted by the illness.
“We really appreciate the outstanding support we have received from everyone so far,” Cherry said.
Directors at the Office of Housing and Community Living see this fundraiser as part of a larger movement among residence halls to do philanthropy work together. For instance, a group of halls on Greek Row organized a Togas for Turkeys event that gathered meal baskets for impoverished families in downtown Los Angeles last fall.
“I think it’s definitely an increasing trend,” Sarah Pierce, director assistant, said. “It speaks well for Housing and Community Living that students are willing to get involved in social issues.”
January 30, 2003