Annual Second Life Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research this weekend
by Tateru Nino 
Jul 17th 2009 at 5:00PM
Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, News items, Second Life, Virtual worlds
The annual Second Life Relay for Life raises cash for the American Cancer Society every year as a virtual environment analog of the physical world event. It's definitely one of the high points of the Second Life calendar. Though lesser fundraising events are held through the year to raise money for this worthy cause, this weekend is the big one.
Second Life's Relay for Life has raised over a third of a million US dollars since its inception, and raises more each year. Look past the sensationalistic guff in the media, and one of the most remarked on characteristics of Second Life users is their charity and generosity towards those in genuine need.
This year the theme of Relay for Life of Second Life is 'One World One Hope', and is expected to be even more multicultural than usual. Users from at least twenty countries are expected to participate in this huge event, which is created and contributed to by some of the best (and busiest) creative talents in Second Life.
This huge event will kick off at Noon, Saturday 18 July and runs a mere 24 hours, until Noon on Sunday 19 July. Survivors of cancer and caregivers of cancer victims traditionally walk the first lap after the opening ceremony.
This event comes around once per year, and only lasts the one day. The sites through which the track winds are always worth seeing, and you should absolutely take advantage of the opportunity to do so, as well as the opportunity to donate to a worthy cause.
You can get more information at the American Cancer Society events Web-site. If you've got a Second Life account, you can teleport directly to the start of the course.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Yo Brewster said on 6:17PM 7-17-2009
For those not familiar with Second Life, this is definitely an event you should check out. It will give a really good idea how a virtual world can truly make a difference in the real world as well!
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Jay said on 3:31AM 7-18-2009
And for the vast majority of Second Life who don't live in America... remember that this charity will not be helping people in your country. By all means donate to this still worthy cause but please don't forget your own mother, father or great aunt and match the donation to your own countries Cancer society.
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Trader Whiplash said on 9:14AM 8-09-2009
Jay, You comment is both correct and inaccurate. Yes the beneficiary is the American Cancer Society and a major portion goes to support its programs. 12-15% goes directly to the International Relay For Life program too.
What is more significant however is that in addition to supporting Society programs we also suppor tresearch, many many cancer breakthroughs come from Society supported researchers, 42 nobel laureates have been supported by the Society, and the Society's website http://www.cancer.org and Help Line 800.227.2345 are available to ANYONE! Statistics show nearly 40% website visitors come from outside the U.S. Healthy Living programs, medical screening guidelines and other Society initiatives supported by Relay For Life are jsut as viable to someone in Europe Asia or elsewhere!
So as I stated you are both wrong and right, but most of all you are right that EVERYONE needs to support Relay For Life of Second Life!
Jay said on 7:36PM 8-09-2009
I stand by my comment. While the USA Relay for Life is a great program, I have seen FAR too many Australians, Germans, Canadians who donate to it alone and think their money is actually helping THEIR community.
Wouldn't you rather donate to your own countries cancer society and see new wards for Cancer Victims, research done in your country without the issues of USA control of the patents and the associated high cost to you and your family in a few years, Support Services that you, your family and your community can use?
As I said, by all means send a few Lindens to this AMERICAN charity with the thought that a tiny 12% will go to a worldwide fund (who will take their administration fees out on top) but PLEASE donate to your own countries cancer charity too.
If the American Relay for Life in Second Life was decent they would actually highlight that just 12% of the funds is distributed to the rest of the world when the bulk was actually coming from people OUTSIDE their country... but instead they pretend they are helping everyone... flags of all nations... nations that will get just a few dollars each.
Tateru Nino said on 8:48PM 8-09-2009
Research helps everyone. It doesn't matter as much where that research is happening. If the any country found a cure, it isn't as if other countries would be denied that information.
Jay said on 9:01PM 8-09-2009
And so many of the greatest research programs DON'T take place in America, the Guardasil Vaccine to name just one.
As I keep saying, and as people seem to keep missing, please feel free to donate to this worthy charity but don't neglect your own countries charity.
If you only have limited funds to donate though then please make a conscious decision. Don't be fooled by the SL Relay For Life into thinking that it is for your community as 88% isn't.
Let us take the whole ACS Relay For Life takings using the California figures provided by that organisation alone.
From $1,000 Million dollars only 14% was spent on research (9% was spent on administration) everything else went directly to benefit USA citizens.
So, if you donate $100 yourself to the Relay for life the grand total of $1.40 will be spent finding a cure, just a tiny bit more than the amount the directors of the charity pay themselves.
Spend $100 on your own countries cancer charity and not only is that $1.40 still spent but the remaining $98 will be spent on education, beds, detection, support IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.
Wow, $1.40 for research. Does that even buy a single testtube these days.
I think that this organisation in Second Life (Where the citizens of the USA are as a minority) need to highlight far more that your donations from Germany will be in the bulk providing beds for victims in another country.
Worthy yes, but they really hide the fact that they are a USA charity and will be giving the BULK of the funds to USA citizens.
Rik Riel said on 11:43AM 7-18-2009
Looks like they are well along their way toward their goal, with $240K raised before the Relay has even officially started!
http://www.rikomatic.com/blog/2009/07/second-life-relay-for-life-raises-240k-for-cancer-research-before-official-start.html
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Poppy Zabelin said on 1:56PM 7-18-2009
Jay's post gives me an opportunity to make an important point.
At this year's Relay For Life of Second Life there will be relayers taking part from all over the real world, from at least 25 (and still counting) countries. Take a look around the Start Here area (illustrated above the article) or in the 26 relay stations along the track at RFL of SL. You will find information about relay in French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Dutch.
According to Stingray9798 Raymaker, American Cancer Society representative in Second Life, 12-15% of all funds raised by RFL of SL goes to INTERNATIONAL causes.
Did you know, for example, that there is an ACS University? ACSU works to strengthen the capacity of emerging cancer societies in developing countries by training their staff and volunteer leaders in all aspects of running a community-based cancer control organization or program.
For information about International Relay for Life in the real world see:
http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/inctp
Have a good Relay!
Poppy Zabelin
Chair, International Relations
Relay for Life of Second Life 2009
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Tateru Nino said on 2:11PM 7-18-2009
I think the development of effective cancer treatments is far more important than which country actually manages to successfully develop them.
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Saxon said on 2:57PM 7-19-2009
I've just left the Relay For Life complex and it was incredibly moving. There were thousands of luminaria lining the path passing through a massive tour de force of design. For me, this is a very successful proof of concept for what real and meaningful things can be accomplished in virtual worlds. Genuinely impressive with a very tangible benefit. See it.
Second Life is learning Thoreau's admonition.
"Be not simply good, be good for something."
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Loki said on 11:35AM 7-20-2009
I was blown away by some of the great work presented at the relay. The event SHOULD be made into two or 3 days, or a WEEK EVEN. The work and imagination put into Relay for life i feel is much greater than that of SLB event.
Maybe its that there are less restrictions such as use of mega prims, more space to build. I know next year, i may very well ignore SLB to join the great artists of Relay for Life.
I made a quick video of the build my friends at New Babbage did for Relay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY6G5tVztnU
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Fayandria said on 3:06PM 7-20-2009
Relay For Life of Second Life as of 11:30 AM has raised 269,630.00 USD and still climbing. Amazing!
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