Football cornerback John Reid out for 2017 season. See Page 5. Vol. 117, No. 135 Friday, April 7, 2017 WHYRelay for Life overallSHE Melanie Kamil relaysRELAYS in honor of her mother By Allison Moody “I would always tell FOR THE COLLEGIAN her that I wished When Melanie Kamil was six that there was years old, her mother was diag- nosed with stage three ovarian something I could cancer. Each time she went into do, and she would remission, the cancer came back. It was during her first month answer by saying at Penn State, February 2015 that ‘all that I care about Kamil got a call from her aunt — “You need to come say your good- is that you are here byes.” with me.’” It was her mother’s life — and death — that inspired Kamil’s Melanie Kamil involvement and ferocious dedi- Relay for Life Overall cation to Relay for Life of Penn State. She started as a speaker and her spine. This lead to more at the luminaria ceremony about chemotherapy throughout 2013 a month after her mother’s and 2014. Natalie Runnerstrom/Collegian passing and has worked her way “I would always tell her that I to holding a merchandise overall wished that there was something The stage for Relay For Life in the HUB-Robeson Center on Saturday, April 9, 2016. position. I could do, and she would answer by saying ‘all that I care about the treatment was working, she “We talked about memories Living with a survivor is that you are here with me,’” was too weak for anymore chemo, over the years, how much we Kamil’s mother, Stephanie, Kamil said in her speech. and that was when we knew that were going to miss each other, was diagnosed with her first was the end of her long battle,” what heaven might be like and bout of cancer in 2002. After Starting a new chapter Kamil said during her speech. I told her that it was ok to go,” going through chemotherapy and In the fall of 2014, Kamil headed Kamil said during her speech. radiation treatments, she was off to college at the University of Saying goodbye “My family has been going to declared cancer-free later that South Carolina. Even in her dete- “I will never forget this day,” Disney since before I was born, same year. riorating health, Kamil’s mother Kamil said. “I was coming back so we were talking about how Five years later in 2007, made the trip from New Jersey to from class and I was taking the there might be a Disney heaven, Melanie’s mother was diagnosed visit her for parent’s weekend. white loop back to my freshman where she could ride all the rides with another form of cancer. And “It didn’t matter what I did, dorm and I got a call from my and eat Mickey ice cream sand- again, after chemotherapy, ra- she was always so proud of me,” aunt telling me to come home wiches whenever she wants.” diation and eventually remission, Kamil said. right now.” Kamil and her twin sister she was diagnosed a third time in The University of South Kamil said she could not stayed with their mother for the late 2012. Carolina did not feel like home to believe what she was hearing. remainder of the week, before “She had cancer for as long as I Kamil after her first semester, so She had just talked to her mother parting ways and heading back to can remember,” Kamil said in her she transferred to Penn State in not two hours before, and every- college. While Kamil didn’t want speech during Relay for Life 2015. January 2015. During this time, thing seemed okay. to leave, she knew that her mom Through all of the hospital trips her mother’s doctors were con- While onlookers stared, an wouldn’t want her to remember Courtesy of Melanie Kamil and treatments, the Kamil fam- ducting routine tests when they emotionally devastated Kamil her that way. ily still found ways to have fun found the worst case scenario. rushed back to her dorm, packed Kamil experienced her first Melanie Kamil and her mother together, visiting Disney over 18 The cancer had spread to her a bag and took an Uber from THON just days after saying pose for a photo at a high school times. Kamil said her mother “al- brain. State College to Shrewsbury, goodbye to her mother. While graduation dinner. ways remained her happy smil- Doctors began a 10-day radia- New Jersey where her mother she felt supported by all of the ing self no matter what.” tion treatment, which if it worked, was being treated. When she ar- patients and survivors, she re- after a 13-year battle, Melanie’s In August 2013 during a would allow Kamil’s mother to be rived, her mother was hooked up grets not being there on her mother passed away. routine scan, doctors found that released for the time being. to multiple machines and drifting mother’s last days. To read full story, visit the cancer had spread to her liver “Unfortunately, even though in and out of consciousness. At 6 a.m. on February 25, 2015, collegian.psu.edu. First-time tryout lands lead role By Elena Rose able to pursue an academic ma- “With Thespian auditions, “I had no idea what THE DAILY COLLEGIAN jor of her choice and perhaps en- there’s the group of people that gage in something in the theatre have been here before, and they to expect. I had no Ever since she could recite realm as well. walk in and yyou’re like, ‘Yeah I idea what this club the ABCs, Melissa Elliott was a During her first semester, knowknow whowho you are,’ anandd yyouou jjustust girl with a plan. Until she found Elliott soon realized she was getget on with the process,” Levine was or the level out about one year ago that she missing a part of herself without (senior-history)(senior-history) said. ““ButBut of professional- wasn’t. theatre as a driving force in her MelissaMelissa didn’t know ananyy of She almost got there. A Golden, day-to-day life. us. It was actuaactuallylly realreallyly ism and tal- Colorado native, Elliott spent her “I went first semester without interestinginteresting to see her ent that’s childhood traveling the world doing anything, and it killed me; veryvery profession-profession- performing with professional oh my God, it killed me,” Elliott allyy come in clearly productions She then starred said. “I remember calling my present, so in her freshman year musical mom crying because I missed as Éponine in Lakewood High theatre so much. I knew I needed I just gave School’s production of Les Mi- to do something, and that’s when it a shot,” sérables and flew across the I found Penn State Thespians.” country a time or two for college Elliott described stumbling Melissa auditions — all while keeping her across Penn State Thespians’ Elliott Big Apple, big theatre dreams at audition for “Beauty and the the forefront of her future. Beast” as “serendipitous” — the Nowadays, those dreams Devam Shah/Collegian auditions were Jan. 11-13, and are resting in her back pocket, Melissa Elliott (freshman-BBH) she discovered them on Jan. 10. perhaps to be revisited another takes notes during her abnormal Those auditioning were asked day. to prepare a monologue, as well “My mom tells me it’s what I psychology class in Forum Building as a song “in the style of Disney” was born to do,” Elliott (freshman on Wednesday, April 5. — instead, Elliott came with the – bio-behavioral health) said. “I monologue she’d used in college started singing and performing people at the Denver Center for auditions and the song “What Did basically when I could talk. It was the Performing Arts who went I Have That I Don’t Have?” from and introduce her-herr- sort of this innate thing, and I just to these incredible places like “On a Clear Day You Can See selfself to allall ooff us aandnd stastartrt loved it.” Yale School of Drama and Carn- Forever.” She had little to no withwith excellentexcellent audauditionition The life El- egie Mellon. materials.”il ” “Melissa didn’t knowledge about the club or liott envisioned These schools anybody in it, and she went into The freshman went from ‘Oh, that happens Taps Week’ or under the lights know any of us. It are known for the audition possessing far more a schedule of only balancing ‘Oh, that happens the Sunday be- theatre, yet these began to feel like doubt than confidence in getting schoolwork and her Penn State fore,’” Elliott said. was actually really people are 35 and less of a reality a callback. THON special interest organi- “Everything just happened. her senior year still asking if any- zation, Ohana, to two straight interesting to see Her results proved inverse to It was surreal to me. It was just of high school, body has a couch her suspicions. In a matter of months of practice every Monday constantly adjusting and being once she started her very profession- they can sleep three days, Elliott went from al- through Thursday starting as able to just take an arrow and re- receiving rejec- on,” Elliott said. most not auditioning to landing early as 5:30 p.m. until as late as ally come in and direct it.” tion letters from “I didn’t want the lead role of Belle. “I had no midnight each night, including a collegiate theatre introduce herself to that to be my life idea what to expect.