The Global Fight Against Cancer

Ireland Launches First Relay For Life with Great Success

Over 250 cancer survivors and 29 teams gathered in Dublin, Ireland, for the country’s first Relay For Life on October 7, 2006. The North Wall Women’s Centre hosted the event to coincide with its 21st anniversary. All funds raised benefited the Irish Cancer Society. John McCormack, chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, delivered the key note address. Other speakers included filmmaker Peter Sheridan and presenter George Hook. The overnight event was held on both sides of the River Liffey and drew participants from both north and south Dublin. 

Denmark Launches Relay For Life

Fifteen teams and approximately 200 community members participated in Denmark’s first Relay For Life (Stafet For Livet) September 16-17 in Holbæk, Denmark. The Danish Cancer Society’s inaugural event kicked off on an unseasonably warm and sunny afternoon with more than 50 survivors (called "fighters" in Denmark) participating in the Survivors Lap of Honor. One 60-year-old cancer fighter who walked the Survivor’s Lap remarked that she no longer felt alone in her fight against cancer. She is among many participants who plan to return next year. Five events are scheduled in Denmark in 2007, including Holbæk’s second annual event.

California Division Volunteer Helps Launch Relay for Life in Japan

California Division volunteer Kaz Iwamoto joined the Japan Cancer Society in its kick-off event for Relay For Life in Tsukuba, Japan. Survivors, families, caregivers, and community volunteers joined together to celebrate the Japan’s first Relay For Life. Entertainment included local musicians, bands, and dancers. Top officials who spoke at the opening ceremony included the Deputy Prefectural Governor, Mayor of Tsukuba, the Director of National Cancer Center, and the head of the Japan Cancer Society. For the luminaria ceremony, the Japanese added their own cultural touch with candles floating in water inside small cups. The participants and Japan Cancer Society are planning additional Relay For Life trainings and events in 2007.

Society Conducts Asia-Pacific Relay For Life Training in Australia

International Delegates and Society Volunteers and Staff at Melbourne Training

In May 2006, the California Division sent volunteers Kathy Pimentel and Kaz Iwomoto, and California Relay For Life Training Director Becky Lunders, to conduct, along with the International Relay For Life training team, a multinational Asia-Pacific Relay For Life training in Australia. Relay For Life is now held in 23 countries outside of the US, and is a significant source of cancer awareness and fundraising for the Australian Cancer Society. Pennsylvania Division CEO Garry Pincock and Reuel Johnson, national vice president, Relay For Life, facilitated sessions at the trainings that took place in Brisbane, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. Participants from four cancer leagues attended the classroom sessions to learn and share best practices for successful Relays, and to attend the Gold Coast Relay For Life, which is in its fifth year. Of  the 23 events held in Queensland the Gold Coast event boasts the most unique and picturesque location. The track is situated around a lake only minutes to Surfers Paradise. The event was particularly breathtaking when the candle tributes lined the lake and burned throughout the night. The Queensland Cancer Fund hosted the trainings which included volunteer and staff leaders from the Philippine Cancer Society, the Malaysian Cancer Society, Taiwan’s Hope Society, and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).

German Relay For Life -"Lauf Ins Leben"- Held in Lütjenburg

In May, the Schleswig-Holsteinische Krebsgesellschaft in Germany held its first 2006 Relay For Life. The event, held in Lütjenburg, was the second Relay event to launch in the Schleswig-Holstein region. Fifty-four teams attended, with about 1,000 participants rallying together over 24 hours in the fight against cancer. The survivor "lap of honour" began with a banner with the world "hope" printed on it. To honor survivors and those who have lost their fight, about 300 luminaria candles were placed around the track. During the survivor activities, a female priest told her personal story to the group. A choir of young women was part of the entertainment, and the event inlcuded patient education activities on the field. This event raised 26.000 euros and expects to receive additional donations.

Training Held for Launch of French Relay For Life® ‘Relais Pour La Vie’

A French Relay Team Sells Flowers on Motorcycles for a Fundraising Event

Support is growing for the June 2006 Relay For Life launch in France (Relais Pour La Vie), with 3,000 people expected to attend the event in Diemeringen, a city about an hour north of Strasbourg. Relais Pour La Vie staff and 13 community members attended the training. The Relay event is being supported by community and many regional associations. During the training, volunteers and staff discussed logistics and plans for this event, and it was announced that the second Relay will be held in Toulouse, France, in the summer of 2007.

Brazil Holds Kick-off Event to Launch Relay For Life "Revezando Pela Vida"

Brazil Prepares for First Relay For Life Scheduled for June 2006

The Brazilian Cancer League (Associação Brasileira do Câncer) recently conducted an enthusiastic and well-attended kick-off event for their Relay For Life launch, scheduled for September 2006. One-hundred participants including team captains, current partners, sponsors, and potential volunteers and sponsors gathered to discuss logistics and share event updates. The volunteers participated in a seminar about their duties, and a well-known Brazilian Actress spoke passionately about the Relay For Life, or "Revezando Pela Vida" launch. The group conducted a small luminaria ceremony while a musician played a guitar, and everyone joined hands and stamped a white canvas in a culturally symbolic gesture to demonstrate their commitment and dedication to

cancer control and this event.

Honduras Relay Draws Thousands from Across the Nation

California Relay volunteer Maxine Bigler with Honduras Relayers

In March 2006, Honduras held its fourth annual Relay For Life® event, another enormously successful Relay for this country of seven million people. About 2,500 attendees participated in the event, which was held at Olympic Stadium in Tegucigalpa. In addition to the survivors, caregivers, and community supporters, top Honduran officials such as the vice president and his family, the president of Congress, the mayor of Tegucigalpa, and the main bishop and his delegation attended. The survivor tributes moved the crowd, and lively entertainment added a festive atmosphere for the dedicated families, youth, and more than 100 teams on the field. In this country with a per capita gross national product of $1,030, donations exceeded $400,000 . California Relay volunteer Maxine Bigler assisted in training the Honduras Cancer Association (Asociacion Hondurena de Lucha el Cancer) staff and volunteers and shared colon cancer prevention and screening information at the event.

Luxembourg Launches First Relay For Life

Ambassador Team at Luxembourg Relay

On Mar. 19 2006, the Fondation Luxembourgeoise Contre le Cancer launched their first Relay For Life (Relais Pour La Vie) - the largest Relay launch in western Europe. Held at the d'Coque Centre National Sportif et Culturel in Kirchberg , this was also the first indoor Relay outside of the US.  Nearly 200 teams participated in this outstanding inaugural event, and the total number of attendees was estimated to be 5,000.  Luxembourg is home to nine worldwide Embassies, and each Embassy organized a team and displayed an exhibit booth with cancer education and prevention material from their nation's primary cancer organization. The theme of the event was "solidarity" in the fight against cancer.  Cancer organization representatives from Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands also attended to learn the logistics of an indoor event. Currently, 23 countries outside of the US participate in Relay For Life.

Second Relay For Life Held in the Philippines

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo During Relay Survivor Lap 

In Feb. 2006, the Philippine Cancer Society celebrated the nation's second Relay For Life event. The event took place at Armoranto Stadium in Quezon City and included more than 2,200 participants.  During the evening more than 400 survivors and 97 teams helped make this second Relay a tremendous success. The President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo attended and interacted with survivors in attendance. The Philippine National Minister of Health and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. also attended.