Students take stand on cancer

Few of the 160 students at Maxwell's small high school have not been impacted from knowing someone with cancer. But on Tuesday, the entire school took a stand against the often-fatal disease.

"Cancer takes one person every minute," said Lauren Boyes, president of Maxwell's chapter of Future Business Leaders of America. "It kills 1,500 people each day."

The school's two most active organizations, FBLA and Future Farmers of America organized Tuesday's "Stand Up for Cancer" event to promote awareness and raise money for the "Stand up for Cancer" organization, whose purpose is to enable cutting-edge research aimed at finding a cure to all types of cancer, including breast, prostate, skin, brain, and other forms of the deadly disease. "The past two years, we've held an event to help combat breast cancer," said Amy Leach, FFA president. "This year our focus is on all cancers."

In addition to releasing balloons as a stand against the disease, both organizations will be raising money for the "Stand Up for Cancer" organization.

FFA will be selling white carnation for $1. FBLA will be selling pencils and awareness bracelets for donations.

All the proceeds go to cancer research.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.