Sixteen teams (147 participants) braved the rainy weather to be a part of Yorkton's 4th annual Relay for Life
The evening started off with a reception for the 30 plus survivors and their guests, this was followed by the official start of every Relay For Life event, the Survivor's Victory Lap. They were soon joined by all the teams, as well as friends and family members who came out to be part of this night of celebrating, remembering and fighting back.
The Luminary Ceremony took place just after sundown with participants lighting the candles in the luminaries in honour of cancer survivors and in memory of those we have lost their lives due to cancer. These luminaries light the track as the participants continue to walk throughout the night.
The Fight Back Ceremony at midnight is about what can be done to help prevent cancer. This year's focus was on raising awareness about flavoured and scented tobacco products that the tobacco industry is marketing in hopes of attracting more young people to start using their products.
With music and activities to keep them awake, participants continue to walk as they watch the darkness slowly turn to light, symbolic of the journey of a cancer patient.
The Canadian Cancer Society wishes to thank the committee members for their many hours of planning and organizing this year's Relay and the volunteers that helped make it all happen; the survivors that remind everyone why raising funds is important; the many local businesses who supported this year's Relay both financially and with gifts-in-kind and the participants who collected pledges and held fundraisers as well as showed their support by taking part in the Relay. All this resulted in $56,263.45 which will go towards funding cancer research and supporting people living with cancer as well as education and prevention program.
