Fraternity hosts party for Lymphoma research

Lambda Chi Alpha is hosting a back-to-school bash tonight at 7 p.m. to help support the Josh Gottheil Memorial Fund for Lymphoma Research.

The party will be from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Lambda Chi Alpha House, at 209 E. Armory St.

Tickets are being sold in Six Pak dining halls and at the Lambda Chi House. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

The $10 cover charge is the same if students go to see Mike and Joe at Kam's - now they get free food, drinks, and a T-shirt, said Kevin Fennell, sophomore in Business, who is in charge of securing sponsorships from fraternities and sororities.

Sarah Kimmer, senior in LAS, was one of the philanthropy chairs Fennell contacted in the beginning of June. She bought 71 tickets for the Sigma Kappa sorority.

"It's a really great, easy way to raise money and raise awareness about something relevant to students our age," Kimmer said. "Everybody's dealt with cancer in some form."

Frank Vanderwall, junior in LAS and the fraternity's committee chair, agreed.

"The Josh Gottheil Memorial Fund is a great organization," Vanderwall said. "It focuses on donating money for nurses to take care of patients, geared towards real-life training."

After the death of his son, Josh Gottheil, from lymphoma cancer in 1989, economics Professor Fred Gottheil said he wanted to help the nurses in appreciation of what they try to do - save lives.

"The important thing is it helps nurses who are busy every day of their lives trying to save lives. And Lambda Chi Alpha is being a part of it," Gottheil said. "Contributions made by students is something special. It's not millions of dollars, but it's loving money. And that makes a difference."

Several of Gottheil's ideas to raise money have included events such as tailgating before football games, local band benefits, and philanthropic events such as the bash.

"Professor Gottheil helps us out - he announces it in class and lends credence to it," said Ian Adams, junior in LAS, who is in charge of ticket sales.

Natalie Hicks, sophomore in FAA, has personal reasons for appreciating what Gottheil is attempting to do.

"It's a good cause," Hicks said. "My dad actually had the same cancer as Josh."

Gottheil encouraged the student body to get involved and be a part of the community.

"Somehow, in some cases, personal tragedies lead you to engage in activities that you never dreamt you would. (Josh's fund) is because I went through, as a father, this terrible tragedy," Gottheil said. "Someone comes to my office and tells me thank you for giving me the opportunity of helping because my father or my brother or my mother or my uncle died of cancer. And this is a small way for me to contribute in their honor and their memory."

Gottheil said the back-to-school bash was Lambda Chi Alpha's idea.

"The effort is there - the caring, the love, and the social responsibility that people feel for other individuals, is there," he said. "In the long run, it's the most important."

According to Sigma Kappa's philanthropy chair Sarah Kimmer, the bash is a win-win situation.

"It's a good cause and people from and outside of the Greek community will be there," she said. "I know the girls in my chapter are really excited about it."

The money raised by Josh's Fund goes directly to the Oncology Nursing Society of America. Four grants, worth $2,000 each, are then awarded each year to nurses specializing in bone marrow and stem cell transplant units. These grants further their education and training research. A total of 40 grants have been awarded thus far.

"We're all in a fight to win the war against cancer," Gottheil said. "Cancer is indiscriminate - it gets everybody. We're going after it. And that way we honor (Josh) in his memory."

Josh Gottheil was 19 years old when he lost the battle to cancer.

"He had his whole life ahead of him and all the promises in the world. And students all have that promise. It's nice to know that people who are his age and with the same intensity of promise are doing something to further a good cause," Gottheil said.