Cancer Society hails $146,600 Gisborne Relay for Life and volunteer effort

Dedicated and long-serving Gisborne-East Coast Cancer Society volunteers Rosie Scott (left) and Nona Aston in the CBD collecting for Daffodil Day 2025. Aston said she was humbled by the $146,600 raised by this year's Relay for Life.

This year’s Relay for Life raised $146,600 and was one of the best yet, according to Gisborne-East Coast Cancer Society chair Pamela Murphy.

Murphy, writing in the society’s 2025 Annual Report, said it was “very moving” to see the Relay for Life track (at the Showgrounds’ Poynters Park) filled with whānau of all ages.

Before the March 29 and 30 event, a Cancer Society spokeswoman told the Gisborne Herald they were confident of surpassing their $125,000 target with 64 registered teams - up from 46 in 2024.

Nona Aston, a Gisborne-East Cancer Society stalwart for 34 years and office holder at local and regional levels, hailed the result.

Aston said the generosity from the public of Tairāwhiti result was amazing.

For 34 years the generosity of the community in supporting the Cancer Society had “humbled me”, she said.

“It also recognises that everyone in the community know people and families who have cancer or have had cancer.”

Aston said the Cancer Society worked hard to help people through their cancer journey.

It was not just the founders of the society who needed to be thanked, she said. There had been many changes in staff and volunteers, but they all had the energy and passion to make the journey “a better one and a kinder one”.

It “brings out so much love”, Aston said.

Volunteer highlights in the Annual Report included:

• 1574km driven by volunteers taking clients to appointments.
• 4056 dedicated volunteer hours – the equivalent of 78 additional unpaid staff hours per week.

The Annual Report, covering from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, said the 2024 Daffodil Day raised $120,000: $87,600 was raised from individual and group donations; $79,200 came from “our incredible funders”; and $59,400 was raised from other events held in the community.

The Cancer Society received no Government funding, Aston said.

Total income was $515,288 and total expenses were $453,117, leaving a surplus of $62,170.

The report thanked 15 organisations, plus major sponsor ANZ, which had supported the Cancer Society with contributions in excess of $2000 through grants, bequests and sponsorships.

During the year the lounge at the Gisborne-East Coast Cancer Society centre at 718 Gladstone Rd was named the Margaret Blake Lounge.

The late Margaret Blake was a trustee of the Cancer Society and vice-president for the Central Districts Division, which covers Taranaki, Manawatu-Whanganui, Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne-East Coast.