“My friend Adam and I have known each other since I was 6 years old and he was 5. We grew up playing at each other’s houses, and I’m really close to his whole family. Last summer I noticed he was getting kind of skinny. I knew he worked out a lot though, so I didn’t think much about it. But then he started having trouble with his hands. He couldn’t grip things well, but he just thought he had carpal tunnel. We were on a youth group rafting trip and playing a game of Frisbee when he started saying his hands didn’t feel right. The day after we got back to Memphis, he sent me a text saying he’d just found out he had lymphoblastic leukemia. It was really a shock. He’s been in treatment for a year and has about another year and a half to go.
“This summer he introduced me to friends of his who are here for treatment at St. Jude and who are staying at the Ronald McDonald House. I’ve met a lot of people my age there who have cancer, but because they’re not from Memphis, they don’t have friends in town or know where to go to have fun, so Adam and I hang out and do stuff with them.
“I just started my freshman year at the University of Memphis and our fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon (at 3586 Midland Avenue), has an annual fundraiser for St. Jude, which I’ve gotten really involved with. It’s October 29 and 30 and it’s open to all of Memphis to come. We basically turn the whole frat house into a haunted house. We black out the windows and make tunnels and hallways and all the guys dress up and bang on the walls and scare people. All of the proceeds go to St. Jude. Last year the fraternity raised $11,000, and this year we’re hoping to raise $15,000 or more. It feels great to help St. Jude help Adam and other kids who have cancer.”
“This summer he introduced me to friends of his who are here for treatment at St. Jude and who are staying at the Ronald McDonald House. I’ve met a lot of people my age there who have cancer, but because they’re not from Memphis, they don’t have friends in town or know where to go to have fun, so Adam and I hang out and do stuff with them.
“I just started my freshman year at the University of Memphis and our fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon (at 3586 Midland Avenue), has an annual fundraiser for St. Jude, which I’ve gotten really involved with. It’s October 29 and 30 and it’s open to all of Memphis to come. We basically turn the whole frat house into a haunted house. We black out the windows and make tunnels and hallways and all the guys dress up and bang on the walls and scare people. All of the proceeds go to St. Jude. Last year the fraternity raised $11,000, and this year we’re hoping to raise $15,000 or more. It feels great to help St. Jude help Adam and other kids who have cancer.”
Photo below by Cara Modisett (pianist, writer, editor, tweeting at @CaraModisett):
Steven Quach is a morale captain for the Up 'til Dawn service organization at the University of Memphis. The Sigma Phi Epsilon Haunted House is one of many fundraising activities for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital sponsored by Up 'til Dawn.
From the Up 'til Dawn website:
"Up 'til Dawn was started here at the University of Memphis just over 18 years ago. Since the program was started it has spread to over 250 schools nationwide and now generates nearly $5 million annually for groundbreaking research and lifesaving care at St. Jude. Overall, the program has raised more than $20.6 million nationwide! Up 'til Dawn unites students, staff and their local communities with a goal to help the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Students who lead Up 'til Dawn on their campuses educate the community about St. Jude while raising money through a variety of activities..."
Article about last year's haunted house - October 30, 2014:
SigEp Haunted House brings more than scares
From the Up 'til Dawn website:
"Up 'til Dawn was started here at the University of Memphis just over 18 years ago. Since the program was started it has spread to over 250 schools nationwide and now generates nearly $5 million annually for groundbreaking research and lifesaving care at St. Jude. Overall, the program has raised more than $20.6 million nationwide! Up 'til Dawn unites students, staff and their local communities with a goal to help the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Students who lead Up 'til Dawn on their campuses educate the community about St. Jude while raising money through a variety of activities..."
Article about last year's haunted house - October 30, 2014:
SigEp Haunted House brings more than scares
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