Pledge to create a world where cancer does not exist
|Published
SOME of the people who took part in the cancer awareness relay in Pretoria at the weekend. SOME of the people who took part in the cancer awareness relay in Pretoria at the weekend.
Pretoria - The cancer awareness event held at the SAPS Academy in Pretoria West at the weekend managed to raise R400 000, which will go towards research, education and related service programmes.
The event also honoured cancer survivors and was attended by more than 200 people. Among them were 106 survivors of cancer.
The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) held a Relay for Life event to provide entertainment and raise funds for cancer patients and survivors.
Cansa Relay for Life is an opportunity to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those who lost the battle and create awareness about cancer.
Themed Together We Can, the event was meant to symbolise the journey of cancer, link it with darkness and how people with cancer do not sleep at night because of the pain they experience.
The sunrise symbolised hope.
At midnight, during a symbolic ceremony, lights were switched off and a silent lap of reflection done. Candles were lit inside paper bags and placed around the relay track as glowing tributes. The candles remained lit until the closing ceremony.
“Cancer does not sleep,” said event organiser Thea Silva.
She said there were 95 teams participating in activities that included walking and running laps around the field and track.
Silva said: “The overnight Relay for Life was meant to spoil and give hope to cancer survivors; the overall reception was overwhelming because they felt very special even though they we were all tired. It was a great event.
“The message we have for every cancer survivor or a person diagnosed with cancer is that we are all behind them. If you ever hear these words ‘you have cancer’, please know that there is hope.”
At the end of the ceremony, participants took a pledge to take action and spread awareness of cancer education, advocacy and create a world where cancer did not exist.