Every Dollar helps beat cancer

Tyson and Vanessa at the Relay for Life event

My month of May has been devoted to fund-raising for cancer research as a memorial to my husband Olivier who died 12 months ago this month. Relay for Life, for instance, was a big event for our family (even though I copped out of the 19 hour relay around the Adelaide Showgrounds Oval). My son Tyson and daughter-in-law Vanessa were heavily involved and Vanessa, a master organiser was the volunteer team captain co-ordinator. Relay for Life is an impressive community event supported by many survivors of cancer, relatives of victims, carers and many many supporters. Nor must I forget that other valuable group – the carers – and I recall that last year I walked the carer’s first lap to kick off the event, but I cried all the way because I knew husband Olivier could not be cured and that he didn’t have long to live. This time, though, I walk around the oval in admiration at the exciting array of organisations and schools, workmates and various community groups who are meeting this year in memory of a loved one who died of cancer.

Interestingly, after I had circumnavigated the oval doing my journalistic thing of asking different groups in their colourfully decorated tents why they had taken part in the relay and its big overnight commitment, I was moved, particularly by my own children. They had written placards with reasons why they had marshalled their friends and workmates to form teams to walk for half an hour at a time throughout the night. Countless camping tents around the perimeter testified to the fact that most people got at least some sleep. . My sister Anne and I joined Vanessa’s PWC tent in the afternoon, where they ran a sausage sizzle. We sat in deck chairs sipping soft drinks and we soaked up the magnitude of this amazing community event bringing people of all different backgrounds and creeds together for the one purpose: they wanted to raise funds for a cure for cancer.

An army of Relay for Life walkers

Here is a photograph of the adult children with their individual placards and I am so proud of them for raising $4000. Sandra Herbig, Vanessa’s mother, made T-shirts and caps and babies’ bibs for sale and countless pots of jam and pickles which were sold on the day and also at the Monster Garage Sale the Cancer Council held behind their headquarters on Greenhill Road. On Tyson’s list are the names of two of my husbands, my former husband Graham, Tyson’s dad, who was inflicted with melanoma and his step-father, my dear Olivier, known as Ole in the family, who was a victim of advanced prostate cancer. And regard what Vanessa has said “Cure”, the reason she has spent so much time volunteering and committee work for the Cancer Council helping team captains build healthy, happy teams, who are usually all sponsored heavily.

My effort was much more humble, but a success which I will build on for next year’s fund-raiser. I held a Relay for Life lunch in Olivier’s and my home and invited a dozen friends who were asked to make a $10.00 donation to Relay for Life and bring a plate to share. Sandra and Vanessa organised a trading table and voila, we raised $256.00 by having a good time. What impressed me was the fact that some friends could not attend, but they still donated $10.00 which means Vanessa received $60.00 in donations.

Every dollar is a valuable contribute to cancer research and we only need to peruse the survival rates for some cancers to know that this is money is absolutely vital and well spent. Vanessa tells me that almost $200,000 was raised and when the additional pledges and donations are counted the Cancer Council of SA expects to pip the record amount.

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