Last Saturday’s relay at Rangiora’s Dudley Park began at 10am and finished at 10pm.
It attracted 597 participants in 48 teams and began with a lap of honour from cancer survivors and their supporters.
Before the start, Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon, who took part in the relay as a member of the Waimakariri District Council’s A team, told the large crowd that Relay for Life North Canterbury had a special poignancy for him due to cancer touching his family.
Relay for Life North Canterbury was one of 16 relays held by the Cancer Society during March and April. Cancer Society chief executive Elizabeth Chesterman told the crowd at Dudley Park every relay “helps us to celebrate, remember and fight back against cancer”.
This year’s Rangiora relay also provided an opportunity to celebrate the first 12 months of Rangiora’s Cancer Society Centre serving the North Canterbury community.
“We hoped to raise $50,000 from the relay so we are absolutely delighted to have raised more than double this amount” she says.
“These funds will enable us to continue to support those with cancer in North Canterbury and the wider Canterbury-West Coast region, and we are so grateful to all of the participants, sponsors and volunteers who made this Relay For Life such a positive and memorable event.”
North Canterbury Cancer Society Centre co-ordinator Gabrielle O’Connell says she is proud of the work put in by staff and the Relay for Life committee, and overwhelmed by the generosity and enthusiasm of all the people who contributed to the fundraiser.
“It was wonderful.”
-By Shelley Topp
