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For Kayla Pedersen, cancer research and awareness is an intensely personal cause – her grandmother Annie Long went through cancer treatments, as did her great-grandmother Virginia Long – and spurred her to take action long before her college years. While enrolled at Lower Dauphin High School, she participated in established by the childhood cancer care organization Four Diamonds. So it was only natural that when Pedersen enrolled at Salisbury University in the fall of 2021, she would gravitate toward Relay for Life.
"My freshman year I started helping at Relay for Life," said Pedersen. "Right after COVID, they struggled rebuilding the organization and getting things running again on campus. Now I'm going on my fourth year as part of Relay; after my freshman year I became a co-president, and I've been a co-president ever since."
, generating revenue geared toward cancer prevention, detection, research, and awareness. Hundreds of college campuses nationwide host annual Relay for Life fundraisers; Salisbury University holds its event each spring and is recognized as the . This past April marked SU's 23rd year hosting Relay for Life, with a community of over 500 students and more than 45 organizations ; in Pedersen's three years at the university, the grand total has exceeded $130,000.
"We've definitely been growing over the years," said Pedersen. "In the springtime, we try to get as many on-campus clubs, organizations, and teams to attend as possible, and it's always great to see everyone come out and support one another.
"The volleyball team has been supporting me every year; we hold a 'Play for the Cause' home game every year, and that's always a fun time. It's been great to see the team get involved in something I'm passionate about."
Indeed, Sea Gull volleyball has been one of Relay's greatest champions during Pedersen's tenure with the team. At the 2023 event, volleyball won the first-ever "Relay Rival" games against the rest of the on-campus organizations. In 2024, the trophy stayed in the Athletics family with men's and women's swimming prevailing.
"We are so proud of Kayla and all the hard work she has put into organizing Relay for Life," said Sea Gull head volleyball coach Nikki Binetti. "You can see her passion for the cause shine through as she helps put on one of the most successful events on campus. We as a program have loved supporting her these past three years and can't wait to take part in it again this spring as she runs her final Relay event."
In addition to raising crucial funds and finding further ways to bond with her teammates, Pedersen's involvement with Relay for Life has been instrumental in helping her grow as a leader and a person.
"[Relay] has really tested my abilities to communicate with others and delegate tasks," said Pedersen. "It's helped me grow across the board with communication and teamwork. Of course, volleyball also helps with developing teamwork, but being able to oversee a group of people and work toward that major project at the end of the year is super rewarding."
, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Maggs Physical Activities Center and the lawn outside of the Perdue School of Business. This year Pedersen and company seek to raise $100,000 for the American Cancer Society; as of press time, they have tallied close to $1,800 in donations – nearly 80 percent of which has been contributed by Sea Gull varsity teams – with six-and-a-half months to go.
"We're always welcome to any help," said Pedersen. "We're growing our team for this year, and we're looking for people to join our organization in helping with that planning process. We'd love all organizations, clubs, teams, and individuals to get involved in our event in the spring. The more people are there, the more fun it is, and the more fundraising that we can do."
