Relay for Life goes virtual for the first time

THE Cancer Council has announced this year’s Relay for Life event will take place virtually on their website.
Every dollar donated to the nation-wide online fundraiser will see the baton move one kilometre around Australia along the relay path, ‘passing the baton’ to the next donor to take further.
The Cancer Council hopes to complete 20 laps of the country by June 25 to represent the 20 years Relay for Life events that have been held.
Participants in the virtual relay will be able to donate money to the Cancer Council and leave public messages on their tribute wall.
The Surf Coast’s Relay event was scheduled to take place in March but organisers cancelled the event due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Surf Coast Relay for Life president Bob Tyler said it’s important the relay took place in a new format to support fundraising for much-needed cancer research.
“I know everything happening with coronavirus is pretty bad, but cancer has been around for a long time and it’ll stick around if we don’t find a cure for it.”
The Surf Coast organisation had began raising money before the original event was cancelled earlier this year.
“We put a lot of work into it and did a fair bit of fundraising beforehand and we now know that Surf Coast had already raised $32,000,” Mr Tyler said.
The community was disappointed when the event was cancelled, but Mr Tyler said he and his team were already looking ahead to next year’s event.
“We’re prepared and have already booked the oval for next year and we’ll be ready to go as soon as we are allowed.”
For now, the organisation is hoping the public will donate to the virtual relay and continue to raise awareness for cancer research.
For more information about Relay for Life, head to cancercouncilfundraising.com.au/relay-for-life.