Chances are that by now, almost everyone over the age of five has some sort of idea of what cancer is and how it affects people. However, just because people have a general idea doesn’t mean they always have the facts. In higher education institutions today, many innovations in technology are allowing information to spread more quickly, and it’s also helping to fight cancer in its tracks.

Higher education students are part of the Gen Y and Gen Z population, which is growing tremendously. In order to try and locate a cure to cancer, it’s important that awareness is spread as often as possible, and college and university campuses are a great place to do this. Here’s how to educate higher education students on cancer in hopes of one day finding a cure.

Social Media

This generation of higher education students have grown up with technology at their fingertips. In fact, they don’t know a world without being connected to the internet or having a cell phone on you at all times. Because of this, they are experts when it comes to all things technology, which makes them a pivotal resource for spreading cancer awareness. For example, set up a University social media account that provides facts about cancer as well as other relevant information, such as statistics, local cancer organizations, and even real-life stories from people at the school or in the local community. Sharing this information on platforms that students use can help generate more awareness, increase funding, and do a significant part in trying to cure cancer once and for all.

Events

While most Gen Y and Gen Z students are prone to technology, it doesn’t mean that they don’t attend in-person events. Social gatherings are a great way to spread awareness and help make an impact on college campuses all over the world. For example, you can host a campus-wide fundraiser with entertainment and food, and use this as an opportunity to share stats and information, as well as raise money for a local cancer organization or your school’s own cancer research department. You can even use technology during the event, such as a Twitter hashtag, to allow attendees to participate in other ways, not just in person.

Swag

Today’s generation of students aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in, and this means sharing their thoughts and feelings via swag. From t-shirts to pink ribbon merchandise and everything in between, you can spread awareness on your campus by providing swag to students to educate them. In addition, wearing this swag will promote the cause all around your campus, which will also generate interest and increase awareness.

Challenge

In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge spread across the world, which not only raised awareness regarding ALS, but also generated a significant amount of money for ALS research. This concept has been credited to college students, which means that any higher education student can easily create some type of challenge in order to raise money. Because of this challenge’s success, the ALS has decided to bring it back every year until a cure is found. Simply think of ways that you can get people interested in a campaign, and then start the challenge on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media site in order to generate more awareness.

Volunteer Opportunities

Sometimes the best way to educate people is to provide a hands-on experience. Reach out to local cancer organizations in your area and see if you can have a volunteer opportunity for your students. This can be anything from working with cancer patients or taking care of family members while patients are in treatment. By allowing your students to see the effects of cancer, they’ll be more inclined to spread the word and help in other ways.

Educating higher education students on illnesses such as cancer can be a great way to spread more awareness, generate funding, and help those who are in need.