A "prostrated" Whangarei man hopes other guys will take his stand. Yes, it's a play on words. The Prostrated is the name of the team prostate cancer survivor Jack Stanley is entering in next month's 24 hour Relay for Life fun walk event. Unlike the impression suggested by his team's fun name, MrStanley is not taking the Relay for Life challenge lying down. He's very serious about what is essentially a fun way to approach the topic of cancer. But he needs more people to join his team. You don't get more glowing recommendation for the Relay for Life than Jack's. "Tent city, music, lots of fun... an absolutely fabulous event," he said. "It's a chance for people to get into a community-based fundraising event physically as well as in spirit ... Something that everyone can actually do rather than just drop coins in a collection box down on the corner." Sheer "cussedness" kept him, and hundreds of other walkers, on the track last year long after the weather turned it into a bog. He managed 29 laps - that's 29 kilometres - before the rain and mud caused the event to be called off eight hours early. "It was horrendous. What a slog," he said, cracking up with laughter, "and such a lot of fun." Mr Stanley hopes to field a big team this year - whether they have experience of prostate cancer or not. "If there were 50 people wanting to join the team, they'd be accommodated." He plans to shut up his seven-day business, Stanley Marine, for the relay weekend - and to train in the meantime. "I'm having a tough time getting out of here," he says. "It's our busy period."
