Our mission is to bring light to cancer patients. We aim to do this through volunteering, fundraising to support research, families battling cancer, and healthcare institutions, while raising awareness on our campus community.
CRANES is a community where our dedication to cancer awareness and the community comes together.
UR CRANES was founded in 2024 by Paula Lopez Fagundez, Marianna Madianos, and Agustina Duarte after their own connections, passions, and experiences with cancer. CRANES wants to foster an understanding and informed community on campus together to be able to support our local cancer community. Currently, CRANES works with the Cancer Support Community at Gilda's Club Rochester, Wilmot Cancer Institute, Gift of Life Marrow Registry, American Cancer Society - Relay For Life, Kefi, and student organizations here at UR.
Since 2024, CRANES has been able to raise over $4,000 for Wilmot, the Cancer Support Community at Gilda's Club, and Una Nueva Esperanza A. B. P. Your contributions and involvement go so far to support our community. CRANES has also swabbed over 175 people and helped facilitate a total of 9 matches for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry.
The legend was popularized by Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who developed leukemia after the Hiroshima bombing. In Japanese culture, the crane symbolizes longevity, happiness, and good fortune, and legend says that folding 1000 paper cranes can grant you a wish.
Her wish was to live through her leukemia diagnosis, but she managed to fold only 644 cranes before she became too weak to fold any more. Her friends and family helped finish her dream by folding the rest of the cranes.
At CRANES, one of our hallmark fundraisers is to fold 1000 paper cranes to create a work of art to donate to the Cancer Support Community at Gilda's Club Rochester. With your help, we can impact our local cancer community and come together to fight cancer together.
Interested in making a difference in the cancer community? Join our CCC and check out Instagram @urochestercranes for more information about events. Some of our hallmark events include:
Wilmot Warrior Weekend (September)
Trunk or Treat with Gilda's Club (October)
Hockey Fights Cancer (November)
Bald for a Cause (April)
Relay for Life @ RIT (April)
Awareness Poster GMMs (year round)
Gift of Life Drives (year round)
CRANES Oragami Fundraisers (year round)
CRANES has previously partnered with Sustainable Labs @ UofR and SMD to raise funds through oragami funrdraiser. Various GMMs and GIMs may include different guest speakers in cancer research and clinical practice alongside education about certain types of cancer. The volunteer and engagement possibilities are endless.
Membership benefits include (define your member benefits under group settings)
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Meeting new students with shared interest
Group membership includes many benefits, including access to experts in their respective fields.
