Save your change for Shinerama!

New UPEI students will fundraise all week for Shinerama, a national campaign that raises awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment and research. The event raised a record-setting $32,000 last year and is a great way for students to discover the community while at the same time, support a great cause.

Students attended a Shine Day Kick-Off event this morning at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre where they 'amped' up to collect some cash.

Christie Jay, who has CF and hopes to attend UPEI next year, related what it means to have CF and how she deals with it day to day. She explained, 'I have to take a number of drugs and vitamins every day to lead as normal a life as I can, and to prevent difficult breathing and side effects like reflux.'

Several dignitaries then joined in the kick-off, and had their shoes shined to officially start the campaign collections. Charlottetown MP Sean Casey, UPEI President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, along with VP Academic Christian Lacroix, VP Research Robert Gilmour, and VP Administration and Finance Jackie Podger, witnessed the enthusiasm and heard the Shinerama chants of the first-year students.

UPEI will join more than 35,000 post-secondary students from over 60 colleges and universities across the country as they take part in the largest post-secondary fundraiser this week. Keep your eyes and wallets open for energized students as they canvass around Charlottetown-look for orange and blue!

Stay up-to-date with the Shinerama progress by visiting their blog here.

Best of luck to all Shinerama participants; let's contribute to another successful campaign!