The greater East London area is set to unite in hope, remembrance and solidarity as the Cansa Relay For Life East London 2026 returns on Saturday.
The race, one of the city’s most supported events on the athletics calendar, will be held at St Joseph’s Preparatory and College, from 2-10pm, under the theme “Rise Together Against Cancer”.
Organised by the Cancer Association of SA, Relay For Life is a community-driven event that celebrates cancer survivors, honours those who have lost their lives to the disease and raises vital funds for cancer awareness, prevention and patient support programmes.
Relay For Life is a team-based event where groups of 10 to 15 people, made up of families, friends, or colleagues, take turns walking around a track throughout the evening.
At least one team member must remain on the track at all times, symbolising the long and often difficult road faced by cancer patients, from diagnosis through treatment.
Organisers say the event will begin with the moving Survivors’ Lap of Honour, where cancer survivors lead the way around the track, followed by the Teams’ Lap, where participants show their support in the fight against cancer.
As the sun sets, participants will gather for the emotional Luminaria ceremony, where candles placed in luminaria bags illuminate the track.
The evening will conclude with a powerful Hope Lap, symbolising unity and determination in the fight against cancer.
Throughout the relay, teams set up camp on the field and enjoy entertainment, activities and camaraderie in a festival-like atmosphere, while raising funds for Cansa’s programmes in the region. Organiser Wayne Weyer said events such as Relay For Life played an important role in bringing communities together and reminding those affected by cancer that they were not alone.
“We want survivors to know they are not alone in this fight.
“When they attend Relay For Life, they will see there are many people around them who are fighting the same battle.
“It is a chance for all of us to unite,” he said.
Weyer added that despite challenges faced by Cansa in recent years, it was committed to supporting the community.
“As Cansa, we have gone through a difficult time, and in East London we now operate from a satellite office. But the purpose of Relay For Life is to bring strength to the community.
“Even though we may have become smaller, we are still here for the public and we continue to offer the same services,” Weyer said.
Funds raised during the event will help Cansa continue its work in the region, including public education on prevention, early detection, screening and providing care and support to patients and their families.
One of the inspiring stories connected to this year’s relay is that of Izak Bellingan, who has been named one of the 2026 Global Heroes of Hope.
Bellingan was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 while teaching matric Afrikaans and mathematics. Determined to continue supporting his pupils, he underwent radiation and chemotherapy while still teaching full-time.
“I began radiation and chemotherapy simultaneously on July 22 2015,” he said.
“I did not want to miss teaching time, so I had to wake up at 1.30am every morning to take my chemotherapy tablets so that I could attend radiation later in the day.”
After six weeks of treatment, Bellingan underwent surgery to remove part of his colon and rectum. He was later declared in remission and had his ileostomy reversed in January 2016.
“My wife was my rock,” he said. “We decided to approach the journey positively and I asked her to kick my butt if I started having a pity party.”
