The desire to make a lasting memory in the name of a loved one will bring a family together from across the country for Kyneton’s fifth Relay for Life.
Kyneton’s Graham Haynes is coordinating the effort with 15 family members forming a relay team in memory of his wife Merilyn who was lost to cancer in 2016.
Graham said the team has set a fundraising goal of $10,000 and had already reached $8400 with four weeks until relay day.
“We’re hoping to break that target. It’s a real family effort,” Graham said.
Merilyn’s mother, aged 88, is determined to do at least one lap in the relay and will travel from Inverloch for the event. Other family members will make their way from Perth and some from other parts of Victoria.
“Merilyn was such a loved member of the family and everyone misses her terribly, so this was something nice that we could do in her memory,” Graham said.
“Cancer is such an insidious disease. We all want a cure for cancer sooner rather than later so by raising funds we’re hoping that this will assist.”
Graham has not only registered a team but also has become involved with the Kyneton Relay For Life Committee and visited 20 schools in the Macedon Ranges to spread the word about the November event.
Two schools are actively involved with teams and others have made collections or organised school fundraisers.
Kyneton Relay for Life chairperson Barry Monaghan said there were currently nine teams on board, including two that signed up last week, and the committee was urging more to register.
“It’s about community involvement, education, taking away the stigma, and making a positive contribution,” Barry said.
The event is a chance for the Kyneton community to recognise and celebrate local cancer survivors, patients and their carers, to honour and remember loved ones lost to cancer and to raise funds to help save more lives.
The fun and moving overnight experience sees teams compete to run or walk the most laps, all in the name of the Cancer Council, with funds raised going towards research, awareness and support services.
“The biggest confusion about Relay for Life is that people think you’ve got to walk for 18 hours – you don’t. You just walk what you can manage,” Barry said.
The event is family-orientated with a range of activities taking place including a native petting zoo with everything from koalas to crocodiles and snakes, a jumping castle for children, face-painting, bands/djs and even tai chi.
RRT will be supplying a hot dinner and breakfast for the teams involved.
The Kyneton Relay for Life event will be held at the Kyneton Showgrounds from 6pm Friday November 2 to noon on Saturday November 3.
For details, or to register, visit the website www.relayforlife.org.au or email Kyneton@cancervic.org.au
