 Jessa Webber was a junior at SUNY Fredonia when she died of brain cancer. |
SUNY Fredonia’s sisters of Sigma Kappa will host a concert to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” Fredonia fundraiser and honor their sister, Jessica Webber, who passed away in 2010.
The event will take place Tuesday, April 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. at “The Spot” in the Williams Center. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased ahead of time at the Williams Center Ticket Office or in person at the door.
The event will feature campus a capella groups such as “Some Like it Hot,” “The Guerillas” and “Much More Chill.” There will also be a raffle at the performance and a special teal-colored drink available throughout the week at Buster Brown Bean Company locations showcasing Jessa’s favorite color. Donations are welcomed and all proceeds will go towards Relay for Life.
Webber – known as Jessa to family and friends – died Jan. 6, 2010 after a seven-year battle with brain cancer. She was a junior business major and an active member in the campus and community. Entering as a freshman in the fall of 2007, she threw herself into her studies and into Greek life. She pledged Sigma Kappa and emerged as a campus leader. She served as sorority foundation chair, was voted onto Sigma Kappa’s executive board, and took part in an Alzheimer’s awareness walk and in the annual Relay for Life, a charity she supported since high school.
Webber’s tumor was found at the age of 14. Over the next seven years, Jessa went through a progression of tests and cancer treatments. If she was scared, she never let on.
“When I heard ‘brain tumor,’ I didn’t know what it meant,” said Megan Desabio, a childhood friend, Fredonia classmate and sorority sister. “I don’t think Jessa knew either. When she came back to school, she was the same happy person.”
In the fall of 2009, Webber began an experimental treatment at Duke University while continuing her studies at Fredonia. Her education and her sorority were two of the most important features in her life. The sisters of Sigma Kappa intend to continue her legacy by celebrating Jessa’s life and supporting a great cause. To purchase tickets, please visit the ticket office or call 716-673-3501.
