Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

My essential question is "What best defines a successful program for support of cancer survivors?" My best answer is "promoting involvement in the cancer community" because it brings people into the cancer community to offer the support that fellow cancer survivors need and to those still going through cancer treatment. Once a survivor becomes involved in the cancer community again, he or she will feel a sense of closure and gratitude toward their cancer experience.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

I began mentorship with Roxanne Bickham who has been involved in the Relay for Life for 10 years. She started inviting me to team captain meetings to receive advice from them and to just get me started on developing my own team. She took me to a Relay for Life in Claremont and showed me how it was like and all the support that cancer survivors, families, and cancer patients receive. I learned the importance of promoting involvement in the cancer community by witnessing all of the support that goes on during the event. There is a Luminaria ceremony that honors survivors and patients. There are pledges to fight cancer and studies that people can sign up for to end cancer. From what Roxanne Bickham has told me, involvement in the cancer community is a big step for survivors and makes them feel like their cancer experience was worth it because it resulted in helping others who are going through the same thing.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

I faced problems with trying to promote people to be involved. I found that not many people were excited about the event as I was. I decided to make flyers with information about the event, where it will be, the date and time, and steps on how to sign up. I also started wearing a pin that said "Ask me about Relay". I made an event on Facebook and invited everyone to come. I organized a fundraising event at Jojo's Pizza in Chino Hills so that those who didn't want to be a part of my team could still donate money somehow. I read through the Team Captain handbook carefully to figure out the best ways to promote involvement.  

 (4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My mentor Roxanne Bickham and "The Cancer Survivor's Guide" by Dr. Feuerstein and Patricia Findley.

(5) What is your product and why?

My product is the San Dimas Relay for Life. I became a team captain for my own team "The Curesaders" and also helped the Relay committee as well. With "promoting involvement in the cancer community" being my best answer, I implemented it into my product. I called family and friends to join my team in order to involve them. I organized a fundraising lunch and dinner event at a local restaurant, Jojo's Pizza to raise more funds offsite in my community. I have made so many commitments with the San Dimas Relay involving offsite, onsite, and post fundraising activities that I will participate in. I made Luminarias in honor of or in memory of those that I have known who have been affected by cancer. I put so much time and effort into the San Dimas Relay for Life and have learned information involving all three of my answers during the process. The Relay for Life is a great example of how much support survivors receive from the cancer community.