CANSA’s Relay For Life is an annual, overnight event where everyone in the community can join in the fight against cancer.
This year the Worcester event will take place on 15 to 16 October at the Technical High School Drostdy.
Relay For Life is a joint community event not only to raise money but also to celebrate the lives of those who survived cancer and those still fighting this terrible disease. It’s also an event to remember those who we have lost due to cancer and to fight back against a disease that takes too much.
To participate in CANSA Relay For Life people recruit friends, family, co-workers and neighbours to join them in a relay team. On the day of the relay, team members take turns walking around the track for 12 hours, making sure that someone from their team is on the track at all times.
In addition to the team members who are walking on the track, hundreds of other participants camp out and together create a community party atmosphere.
Each Relay For Life starts with the Survivors’ and Caregivers’ Lap, a testimony to the fact that so many people today are surviving cancer. Cancer survivors from the community walk the first lap around the oval to celebrate their victories while everyone else cheers them on.
The most inspirational time of Relay For Life is the Luminaria or Candle of Hope Ceremony which takes place after sundown.
A candle bag is filled with sand holding a small candle. When the candle is lit, the candle bag casts a warm golden glow.
Relay For Life is making a significant impact on CANSA’s mission to defeat cancer. Currently in South Africa 2 600 leadership volunteers will take part in 60 Relay For Life events. These volunteers will recruit 35 000 participants who will hear the lifesaving messages of CANSA.
Through Relay For Life, CANSA will raise funds to be spent in research, support and prevention programs to assist the people of SA . In 1950 only 25% of cancer patients survived more than 5 years, today it is 66%.
People who want to participate (10 to 15 per team) can visit the CANSA office on the corner of Fairbairn and Durban Street where all the information will be available.
Registration costs R500 per team. Call Christa Claassen on 023 342 7058 or Elsa Everson on 082 774 7322.
