Shinerama for Cystic Fibrosis Research

In 2005 I was enrolled at Wilfrid Laurier University in my first year of studies. During orientation week at WLU, new students are encouraged to participate in fundraising activities for the foundation known as Shinerama. Shinerama funds research for cystic fibrosis and is responsible for close to $1 million per year across Canada. It was introduced at Laurier in 1961 and has been a part of an orientation week tradition in several schools all across the nation.

Today it was outlined in an article captured by the CBC that Carleton University students have decided to pull out of Shinerama fundraising. The reason? Because it "has been recently revealed to only affect white people, and primarily men." The student council motioned to remove Shinerama from orientation week on the grounds that "all orientees and volunteers should feel like their fundraising efforts will serve their diverse communities" and that orientation week should strive to be inclusive.

This is an issue that people are going to quickly pick sides and that seems to be that case of the student council. Only one councilor voted against the motion and believes that the decision is an example of political correctness gone wrong. A case of playing political and racial politics that he believes is entirely inappropriate.

A representative from the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation responded by saying that the disease, although predominantly affecting Caucasians, also affects people from India, the Middle East, Europeans and although is more common in men it does still affect women. Her little girl is one of the benefactors of the hard work new students provide each fall and she is deeply concerned with the decision.

Beyond the obvious "crushing" financial impact that this will have on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation there are other impacts that can also be considered. Shinerama through its car washes, shoe shines, and other friendship building activities fosters relationships between new University and College students across the country. This is a powerful decision that may have implications beyond the obvious and if other schools decide to follow suit there may be drastic consequences for sufferers of this particular disease.