The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Upper Dublin grad takes fight against cancer virtual
Although a junior at Temple University, Upper Dublin graduate Alyssa Herman devoted much of her time this past year to working with local high school students, from Upper Dublin, Wissahickon, Springfield and Germantown Academy. She was fiercely determined to make sure that these students had the same opportunity she did to become part of something bigger than themselves — the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life.
Alyssa was 9 years old when her father, Elliott Herman, died of bile duct cancer, leaving her feeling helpless and grief-stricken. But discovering the Relay For Life as a freshman in high school changed things for her. It replaced helplessness with purpose and provided her with a way of fighting back against the disease that had claimed her father’s life.
Each year of high school, Alyssa recruited a team of friends, who helped her raise money for the American Cancer Society. Her team, Ell’s Belles, would then celebrate their efforts at the Relay For Life event by participating in contests and games, taking in the entertainment, walking laps around the track and simply enjoying the camaraderie. They would also honor cancer survivors and tenderly remember loved ones lost, like Alyssa’s father.
Alyssa joined the Relay For Life event leadership team and stayed involved to the extent she could during her first two years of college. But this year, she returned with a renewed sense of drive and commitment. She explained that over time she had met other young people who had lost fathers to cancer. “It fueled a fire in me,” she said. “I would never wish that experience on anyone. It makes me want to get involved in Relay even more to make some sort of difference.”