Relay for Life 2009 campaign off to a roaring start

WAIRARAPA people are being asked to once again open their hearts and their wallets to help beat the scourge of the modern era cancer- and judging by the initial response to a Relay for Life planned for early next year they are ready to do just that.
Relay for Life 2009 was launched this week and organiser Craig Cooper was set back on his heels when he found that 45 teams from various organisations had immediately registered almost half the number the committee is hoping will eventually participate.
The relay will be held overnight February 28-March 1 at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton but teams can register now and start fundraising.
Mr Cooper said the committee has set a target of 100 teams and with membership of some being 10 or more people that means a thousand participants will be working hard to beat cancer, and help those who have it.
Relay night is planned to be a fun event and although some teams will choose to be competitive there are no winners or losers as such.
"It's a night of celebration, to eject some fun into what is normally a serious topic," Mr Cooper said.
Last year the inaugural Wairarapa Relay for Life was a staggering success, raising just shy of $200,000 for the cancer society.
Per capita it was the largest amount of money raised at an inaugural relay anywhere in the country and Mr Cooper is confident it can be even better next year.
Ironically Mr Cooper, who was Master of Ceremonies at the first relay and can recall being in awe of the strength and courage cancer survivors showed doing the first relay lap, fell victim a form of cancer himself this year.
"So I will go from watching the survivors lap last time to taking part in it next year."
Relay for Life started in the United States and has been adopted by countries like New Zealand and Australia.
The idea behind an all-night relay is based on the experiences of a person with cancer.
Mr Cooper said the night run mirrors how people feel when they find they have cancer with the journey getting darker as they travel through treatment, to the low point in the " wee hours of the morning when you are at your lowest ebb" to the arrival of dawn with fresh hope and finally back into the sunshine " when you know you can carry on."
"It's a very powerful message."
Money pledged is very important as it will be used to further support services for Wairarapa cancer sufferers but Mr Cooper said just as important was the mass participation of people.
"We had about 85 teams last year so you can see that by already signing on 45 teams we are off to a royal start."
Co-ordinator Anna Cardno will be participating in her first Relay for Life.
She is manager of the Wairarapa branch of the Cancer Society.
Organising the survivors lap is Lindy Daniell, wife of Masterton mayor Garry Daniell, who is herself a cancer survivor.
Mr Cooper said it was important for Wairarapa people to know that money raised here, stays here.
The money raised last year enabled the Cancer Society to rent larger premises, increase staff and offer greater support to cancer sufferers. Money from next year's event would further extend the range of support services, perhaps allowing for such things as Living with Cancer workshops to be held here and attracting visits from specialists in various cancer fields.
Mr Cooper said one of the most warming realisations is that Wairarapa has always shown itself to be an extremely generous community that raises to the occasion each time it is called on to do so.
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