A West Ranch High School student is taking the fight against cancer into her own hands, speaking up at an upcoming football game at her school and working with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital to fund groundbreaking cancer research.

Samantha Marcus, co-chairmen of the West Ranch Wildcats Against Cancer, wanted to go above and beyond in helping her school raise money for cancer, leading to the first “Team Up” with St. Jude event in the Santa Clarita Valley on May 6 at the West Ranch “Powder Puff” football game.

She will be joined by West Ranch student and Co-Chair Evelio Gonzalez to host the event.  

Marcus recently sat down with T-Katz for an on air interview at KHTS AM-1220 to discuss her humanitarian efforts.

“When I began high school, I realized everybody has a purpose on earth,” she said.

Marcus discovered her purpose through volunteering with the Michael Hoefflin Foundation. At the first event she volunteered for, the foundation raised over $100,000 in funds for cancer research.

“Seeing how much I helped, I wanted to bring that to my school,” she said. Marcus was 14 years old at the time.

Now, at 16, she is helping lead the effort to fight the disease.

Once a patient herself at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and seeing firsthand how those children and children in the Santa Clarita community fight cancer, she called St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to get involved.

“I wanted to help in any way I could to make the public more aware,” she said.

At the “Team Up” event, Marcus and Gonzalez will speak on behalf of St. Jude’s and accept donations for the hospital and cancer research.

“I think inviting other kids to help out not only makes for a better event and shows school spirit, but brings us together as a community,” Marcus said. “Coming together can help us reach bigger goals in life.”

The goal, she said, is helping more people get involved.

“I think it’s really great when you have not only yourself and your friends, but you also have the whole school with you on this amazing cause,” said Marcus.

About St. Jude

Team Up for St. Jude is a student-led, student-run philanthropic program in which high school students raise both funds and awareness for St. Jude while showing their school spirit at the same time.

Students can start letter-writing campaigns to get the word out, or host side events during high school spirit events to raise awareness and donations.