Cansa Relay for Life raises R500k

Hundreds of people braved the rain to take part in the annual Cansa Relay for Life held at Jan Smuts Stadium last Saturday evening in honour of those affected by cancer.

More than R500,000 was raised.

According to community mobiliser of fund development Michelle Goddard, 187 teams had registered as of Friday last week.

“There was no way that we’d have been able to postpone the relay because of the rain, and people were still registering at the last minute to take part,” Goddard said.

The heavy rains didn’t deter the crowd as many people had their ponchos and umbrella’s ready to walk for survivors, those who are still fighting, and those that who have passed on.

KEEPING HOPE ALIVE: The Cansa Relay for Life took place at the Jan Smuts Stadium in East London on Saturday
Picture: AMANDA NANO

One of the relay’s key components of the relay – the luminaria ceremony – took place on the grand stand rather than the track as done in previously years due to the rain.

“The luminaria ceremony takes place where a moment of silence is observed for those who have left us. These candles communicate that you’ll always be in in our hearts,” said East London Relay for Life chair Wayne Wayer.

Candles on the grand stand spelt led out the word “Hope” while the whole track came to a standstill to honour and remember loved ones.

The walk symbolises that cancer is a disease that never stops, and as such the relay carries on all night. Due to the rain, the relay was cut off at 2am.

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