Cancer survivors celebrate life
Attend symposium about cancer on 1 November in Secunda.
SECUNDA – Cancer survivors, teams, supporters and volunteer workers showed up at a wet Cansa Relay for Life on Saturday, 25 October.
The Relay for Life unites cancer survivors and the communities that care about them.
It offers everyone in the community the opportunity to take part in the fight against cancer and to honour those who have been affected by cancer.
Teams could enter this event and walk around the rugby field throughout the night to show their support to cancer patients.
Cansa held a function for cancer survivors in a tent at the relay at Highveld Park High School and spoiled them with snacks and music by Isabelle Retief and her three daughters.
The youngest fund raiser, John Connor Paterson, handed over a cheque to Ms Jacqueline Erasmus, Cansa Secunda’s community mobiliser, and Mr Carel de Bruin, Cansa’s regional manager.
The survivors wrote encouraging messages and later sent them into the air with balloons whereafter Cansa Relay for Life was officially opened by walking the first round around the rugby field.
The volunteers followed and then the teams began their rounds.
Altogether 15 teams entered the event.
The Luminaria began as soon as it got dark and the volunteers lit the lights that were placed around the field to show hope for cancer patients.
The cold and rain chased some of the teams home early, but a few teams persisted and carried on until daylight.
Teksa Blood Service also supported the Cansa Relay for Life and people had the opportunity to donate blood as well.
They also sprayed people’s hair for cancer awareness and fund raising.
Mr De Bruin gave an encouraging message to cancer survivors and their families.
The Radio-active Dragonflies team raised the most money for the Cansa Relay for Life.
The head of Cansa research, Dr Carl Albrecht, will be visiting Secunda to talk about how to reduce your risk of getting cancer on Saturday, 1 November.
Tickets cost R50 per person and there are only 200 tickets available.
The symposium will be held in the Basement Theatre at Lake Umuzi and begins at 8.30am.
For more information, contact Ms Erasmus at 082 521 1756, Ms Tracey van Wyk at 074 103 6381 or Ms Martie Zerwick at 082 413 4296.
