Jairo Madrigal was tired, but he did not let his first day of chemotherapy keep him from participating in this year’s Relay for Life.
Madrigal, a second-year sociology student, began treatment for leukemia on Saturday, the same day as the 24-hour fundraising event.
“It’s great that I started fighting my cancer the same day as these people are all out here fighting cancer through Relay for Life,” Madrigal said.
When Madrigal tried to donate blood last month, staff at the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center told him to see a doctor at the Ashe Center because they noticed high numbers of white blood cells in his blood sample.
At his visit to the doctor, Madrigal learned he had leukemia.
“It was pure chance that I gave blood that day,” Madrigal said. “I was just trying to help others and I ended up helping myself instead.”
Madrigal’s Delta Tau Delta fraternity brothers planned on participating in Relay for Life long before his diagnosis. However, news of Madrigal’s leukemia quickly sparked a name change to “Team Jairo,” along with increased participation and donations.
“We changed our team name to Team Jairo in honor of our brother,” said Cody Keim, a second-year political science student. “It’s great that we get to walk for him, but also with him.”
In a little more than a week, about 20 Delta Tau Delta brothers raised more than $8,000 for Relay for Life, Keim said.
Madrigal said he did not want to tell his brothers about his leukemia at first because he didn’t want them to feel sorry for him. But after telling one of his fraternity brothers and feeling accepted, Madrigal said he decided to tell the rest of the members of his chapter, and he received an overwhelming amount of support.
Ben Bordofsky, one of Madrigal’s friends, turned 21 years old to the sound of people singing him “Happy Birthday” when the clock struck midnight during Relay for Life at Drake Stadium.
Bordofsky, a third-year sociology student, said he thinks the team of friends rallying around Madrigal and participating in Relay for Life together embodies what it means to be in a fraternity and care about every member.
“I don’t feel like I’ve done enough for the house for them to show me this much love,” Madrigal said. “The support from my fraternity makes me worry less and let me know that everything will be alright.”
Compiled by Joseph Vescera, Bruin contributor.