Celebrate, remember and fight back.
That was the focus for participants in the Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, who for 20 hours walked around a small circular track at Pembroke Park in Wanaka over the weekend.
The annual event, which raises funds and awareness for the society, was also a key way to support cancer warriors — those in the community fighting the disease — Cancer Society events and campaign co-ordinator for Central Otago Nicole Rushbrook said.
"[It’s] putting yourself in the shoes of a person going through cancer and the idea is you get tired, you get grizzly, you get achy but this is what they live with every day so you’re basically walking in their shoes, and [having] empathy towards what they go through every day of life."
The first lap of the track on Saturday afternoon was reserved for cancer survivors and those still fighting the disease, set to the backdrop of bag pipes and drums and cheers from supporters.
The teams, donning colourful wigs, tutus and a range of other costumes, joined from the second lap, settling in to walk through until 11am yesterday morning.
Relay For Life ambassador Andrew Thompson, of Wanaka, was there to open the relay lap of the track.
The occupational therapist was diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer in 2020.
Two years ago he became involved in Relay For Life and never looked back.
"The aroha... there’s people going step by step, remembering their whanau, their family, supporting those with cancer and fighting a fight that will be won, and is being won.
"You know, kia kaha [stay strong] ... it’s so human, the essence of this, it’s wonderful."
At the heart of it, the event was about people, celebrating those with cancer, remembering those who had passed and looking forward to a cure, he said.
"I suppose what it means to me is ... he tangata, he tangata, he tangata — what is at the centre of everything? We are people," he said.
"And these are beautiful people, every single one of them, doing this Relay For Life — 20 hours of walking around quite a small circle, a few of them are going to get dizzy. I’ve been there before — you’re like goldfish in a bowl.
"So I have huge aroha for them and I’m very grateful that there are so many people wanting to help — it’s a very human thing," he said.
