We're Canes Fight Cancer, a newly-founded student organization at the University of Miami.

When first arriving to campus in the fall of 2021, each of us shared a similar sentiment in envisioning the limitless impacts we can make in the South Florida community and beyond upon recognizing that the University of Miami was without an annually operative club oriented towards fundraising, community outreach, and donations for cancer patients.

Canes Fight Cancer Founders Ryan Chinai and Michael O’Deens have translated their personal adversary experiences with regard to cancer into significant community footprints. Ryan–a sophomore at UM–pioneered a club of this archetype during his high school years, which yielded substantial and quantifiable success, raising more than $45,000 through a tandem of fundraising concerts and T-shirt sales. The foundation of our inspiration and confidence in making a mark on the community lies within the prior experience and new perspectives of our Canes Fight Cancer founders and members.

At the University of Miami, we plan to couple creative fundraising events with highly interactive visits to optimize our contributions to the Miami metro community and beyond, with a focal point of pediatric and lung cancer patients.

Our fundraising efforts will contribute to the following specialized events and initiatives, all of which will have profits and proceeds sent to Hopes and Heroes Pediatric Foundation and the Lung Cancer Research Foundation: