Iota Phi Theta Fundraises for Breast Cancer Awareness

By Luiz Leao III

Breast cancer is something that weighs heavily on everyone’s minds and hearts and as such, is something that people constantly fundraise for in the hopes of new treatments being discovered.

NJIT’s own chapter of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity contributed to the cause and hosted a flag football game on the NJIT campus green on Sunday, something that the chapter is “incredibly thankful to NJIT” for letting them use. The idea for this event originated organically as chapter vice-president Maurice Baker puts it, “ we have lots of guys who love to play football, we figured we may as well help people while we’re having fun”.

The rest of the frat was quick to agree and news of the event started to spread garnering the attention and support of those both in the frat and out, one such outside participant was Emmanuel Dortu who loved the idea of raising money while playing football with some friends. “There are so many people affected by breast cancer that I think everyone has a reason to help” said Emmanuel when asked why he chose to play in Sunday’s pickup game–and the brothers wanted to have fun playing football of course.

The event was a success raising $500 for a one night event. The Fraternity plans to get more and more active in its fundraising efforts, “we actually have another fundraiser coming up in November where we’ll be raising money and awareness for sickle cell treatments” said chapter president Obed Joseph. That event will be a unique way to raise funds for yet another worthy cause.

Obed said the best way he could describe the next fundraising event is that it will be a “dancing kind” and they hope more students will come out to support and help them as the chapter continues to grow and share with the campus it’s diversity and values.