Cancer relay back to boost the community

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Publication title: Southland Express

Participants from every walk of life, young, seasoned and some with walking sticks, took on the marathon relay in Invercargill

Forty-eight teams walked backwards and forwards for 12 hours. One person even balanced an egg on a spoon for their turn.

Together they racked up thousands of steps circling ILT Stadium Southland.

The 2022 event was cancelled because of Covid. The last relay was in 2018.

The Cancer Society’s Otago and Southland chief executive Nicola Coom said most families had been affected by cancer.

Fundraising events like the relay were vital for the society to be able to continue supporting the community.

More than 1000 people were expected to turn up during the 12-hour charity event, fed from food trucks and entertained by musicians who donated their time for the special cause.

Organiser Donna Milne said Southlanders were ‘‘just such a caring community’’.

‘‘Be it our ball, Daffodil Day or this. Businesses like Mitre 10 and Charlie’s Juice, they all just came out and helped.’’

The charity race provided a place for cancer sufferers and families and friends of those affected by the illness to surround themselves with people who understood.

Ms Coom said it was great seeing people meet and support each other.

Two 14-year-old girls, for example, made friends while on the track.

‘‘They found out that one’s father had just finished his...