Students can join the women's rowing team in the fight against pancreatic cancer at the team's third annual Erg-a-Thon fundraiser today.
The Erg-a-Thon takes place between the Fieldhouse Mall and the LaFortune Student Center from noon to 8 p.m.
"An erg [short for ergometer] is a rowing machine that the rowers use to train," senior Kelsey Sekanick, co-chair of the Erg-a-Thon, said. "We will have several of them at the event and participants will be able to race both rowers and friends."
The team will sell T-shirts and bracelets at the event and will host a raffle, Sekanick said.
According to the event's Facebook page, raffle prizes include pre-game field passes for Saturday's football game against Oklahoma, men's and women's basketball tickets, basketballs signed by coaches Mike Brey and Muffet McGraw, football tickets, a football signed by Irish coach Brian Kelly and the right to name one of the rowing team's racing boats.
Sekanick said the Erg-a-Thon was born three years ago when tragedy struck the Notre Dame rowing community.
"This event began three years ago after two women close to the heart of the rowing team were directly affected by pancreatic cancer," Sekanick said. "The mothers of Sarah McShane, who is a former rower, and Kassen Delano, who was our academic advisor, both passed away of pancreatic cancer. In 2011, coach Marnie Stahl, hoping to encourage increased participation in service work, proposed the idea of an Erg-a-Thon for pancreatic cancer."
Senior Anna VanEgmond, co-chair for the event with Sekanick, said proceeds from the Erg-a-Thon will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN) and the Harper Cancer Research Institute (HCRI), a Notre Dame entity that supports undergraduate research on campus.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to impact the work being done by our peers in the Notre Dame College of Science this year, [and] we hope that this relationship with Harper Cancer Institute will continue to grow as the event continues in the following years," VanEgmond said.
Junior team member Victoria Ryan said 80 percent of funds raised will go to the PCAN and 20 percent will support undergraduate research at the HCRI. The College of Science and HCRI both will match the donation the rowing team makes to HCRI.
In its first year in 2011, the Erg-a-Thon raised almost $3,000, and last year, it raised more than $6,000, according to Ryan.
VanEgmond said the women's rowing team believes it can raise even more money this year for pancreatic cancer research.
"This year we started an online giving site through the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and due to the generosity of our Notre Dame family, we have already raised over $3,000 before the event has even begun," VanEgmond said. "This is really a true testament to the spirit of Notre Dame."
Contact Nicole McAlee at nmcalee@nd.edu
