11 March 2009

Having Fun and Raising Funds at "Relay for Life 2009"

A Cancer Society Charity Event in Palmerston North

By Shirley Ghozalli and Moira Blake.

Relay for Life is an annual fundraising event organized by the Cancer Society worldwide to celebrate the victories of survivors, remember those who have died from cancer, and raise awareness about fighting cancer. Each team is given a baton that has to be relayed from one team member to the next over the 24 hour period from midday on Saturday to midday on Sunday. Each team member can choose to walk or run around the 400m track, but the baton has a transponder attached to it, and from this the time taken for each lap is recorded on a computer. Although it is not a race, the fastest times are announced at various times during the 24 hours. Some teams are made up of serious runners and are very competitive!

Aside from the relay, there is also stage entertainment and there are information tents to help to inform people about cancer and about the early detection and prevention of cancer. The focus for this year was on men's health, with particular emphasis on encouraging men to get checked for prostate cancer.

Some of the IPC and IPU students who took part in the event

IPU student Hiroki Sato running on the track, carrying the baton

A view of the area inside the track

This year's relay took place on 7th and 8th March at the usual place, the Massey University College of Education grounds, Centennial Drive, and there were about 130 teams from local communities. As in previous years, IPC students and staff members volunteered to participate, taking turns to walk or run around the track, as well as running the Children's Booth, an activity tent for children. There were over 100 volunteers in the IPC team this year, either taking their turn on the track or working in the Children's Booth - or both. The visiting students from International Pacific University in Japan (IPU) took part in the running and the effort of several of them - some in the early hours of the morning - contributed significantly to IPC's place in the top twenty fastest teams this year.

In the Children's Booth, IPC students offered activities such as origami, calligraphy, colouring in, fishing and face painting for the children at the event to enjoy. Nguyen Phan Linh (a 2008 student from Vietnam) who was in charge of the face painting activity said "It was the first time participated in Relay for Life. I was very happy and satisfied with what we did on those days. I would especially like to say thanks many times to our volunteers who worked hard supervising the activities. Without you, we couldn't do anything. Thank you so much".

The participating students who were there at dinner time had a BBQ meal in the IPC tent.

Nguyen Phan Linh (right front) with other student volunteers for the face painting activity

The volunteers from the Children's Booth

Calligraphy activity at the Children's Booth

At dusk every year a special ceremony takes place to remember those who have died of cancer. Earlier in the day, people who have lost someone to cancer can buy a special bag. They write the name of the person on the bag and decorate it in whatever way they like. The bag then has a small candle placed in it (with some sand to hold it in place). As daylight is disappearing, the bags are placed around the track and the candles are lit. A silent walk then takes place in the candlelight, with only one or two members of each team on the track at a time - in contrast to the lively and quite noisy time during the rest of the relay when people walk or run with friends and chat as they go. Near the end of the silent time this year, as last year, lamenting notes flowed into the silence from the Maori musical instrument "koauau", a kind of flute, and finally a prayer was said. One of the IPC lecturers, Kathy Corner, recalled that with a full moon rising above the stage, she could feel a powerful emotion filling the air.

Despite the rain that night, the students didn't stop walking and running. Accomplishing the 24 hour relay was the goal that united the team.

In total, NZ$ 267,000.00 was raised and donated to the Cancer Society by the end of the day, with small amounts still to come. This figure is higher than last year's, a very pleasing result in today's difficult economic circumstances. The funds will be used in cancer research and to support those with cancer.

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