There will be something for everyone at Relay for Life Mid Canterbury, says Cancer Society community engagement manager Aimee Cosgrove.
The 12-hour event, at Ashburton A&P Showgrounds on March 21, is a time for the community to come together in remembrance and fundraise for the society.
‘‘It’s going to be a bit of a party atmosphere. We’ve got some really cool entertainment,’’ Cosgrove said.
Ashburton musicians Molly Harrison, and Gavin Templeton and Bryan Taylor of Kopy Katz are set to perform, as well as Christchurch duo Duopoly, while 1990s children’s television host Annie Roach, of Chatterbox fame, will be on site.
There will be fitness sessions, corporate challenges, face painting and a couple of surprise acts, as well as fundraising stalls.
Cosgrove said there was no charge to get in for spectators, but all the teams would have fundraisers on the day for people to support.
‘‘There will be something for everybody and if people want to come along and remember someone that they’ve lost, they are welcome to do that.’’
She said candle bags for decoration will be available for $5 and be there for the final lap.
The day starts with a survivors’ lap of the track.
Cosgrove encouraged cancer survivors to register for free to take part in the first lap and then enjoy a morning tea, provided by Subway.
Among those participating will be Blue Brothers Ashburton members.
For men living with cancer, the group meets twice a week for exercise at Fit4Life gym Allenton.
Gill Kane, of Blue Brothers Charitable Trust, said the group was an avid supporter of the Cancer Society.
‘‘We’re a group that comes together for social activity and mateship,’’ Kane said.
‘‘We want to offer our own unique support. It’s pretty simple.’’
Blue Brothers was set up by her late partner, David Cattermore, of Christchurch, in 2019.
Cattermore had wanted to create a safe and nonjudgemental space where men living with cancer could feel comfortable, whatever their situation, and whereever they were on their cancer journey.
Cosgrove said also taking part at the relay was a volunteer from the Mid Canterbury Support Group who recently shared their cancer journey.
The person, who wished to remain anonymous, was first diagnosed in 2008 with a soft tissue sarcoma in their right lower leg.
What was initially considered ‘‘just varicose veins‘‘ turned out to be a mass during surgery.
Some of the tumour was removed, and then a second operation followed with six weeks of radiotherapy.
They were given a life prognosis of 20 years at the time.
While the treatment saved their life it also changed it, the surgery and radiotherapy caused nerve damage and muscle loss in their leg.
Walking was a real challenge, but in the years since, they had competed in the Coast to Coast as part of a twoperson team and climbed Mount Somers annually.
The journey had not been easy.
Now, as the survivor recounts the story, they are acutely aware it is nearly 20 years later, Cosgrove said.
But their mantra remained “Cancer is just an illness, please remember this. It is not a life sentence”.
– The Mid Canterbury Relay for Life is March 21 at the A&P Showgrounds 10am to 10pm. Sign up a team today at https://midcanterbury.relayforlife.org.nz/
