ONE in three women and one in two men are diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85.
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It is a startling statistic.
It means every person in the community is likely to know someone touched by cancer and it’s why events such as the Relay for Life are so important.
The weekend’s Eurobodalla Relay raised more than $60,000 to directly help local patients by helping to buy a bus to transport them to treatment at Nowra.
Just as important, the event also raised vital awareness; awareness of just how many survivors are fighting on in our community, awareness and remembrance of those we have lost and awareness of the need for research, education and prevention.
The event itself was awe inspiring.
More than 500 people were involved – a stellar effort for a regional community – and many of them young families.
Survivors and carers led the way before hoards of teams walked round and round, and round again, powered by hope.
Nightfall did not deter the dedicated crowd still lapping the field after dark.
Teenagers skipped, gents and ladies in lycra jogged, families walked, and children ran.
Hundreds of paper “bags of hope” featuring messages of thanks, of love and praise, and sadly, of remembrance of lives lost, lit up the track.
At the hope ceremony, Tepa Faletoese told the crowd that hope lived in each of us, and in a poignant testament, the rain began to fall as participants watched a photographic slideshow of those who lost their battle with the disease.
The rain washed away the tears and welcomed a new beginning for families and loved ones left behind and for children on whom we pin our hopes of a cancer free future.
Congratulations to all those involved with the Eurobodalla Relay for Life.
Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.