$89,000 Relay Success

PORT Lincoln Relay for Life teams banked $21,000 in the last five days leading up to the event over the weekend, taking the total raised to about $89,000 by Sunday morning.

Article by: Billie Harrison, Port Lincoln Times

Port Lincoln Relay for Life president Michelle Power said it was a phenomenal amount, adding to the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for the Cancer Council at Port Lincoln Relay for Life events.

The 2016 relay was the sixth Relay for Life in Port Lincoln with about $600,000 in total raised over the years since the inaugural event in 2007.

This year’s highest fundraising team was Hunting for a Cure, which raised $16,759.55.

Ms Power said it was “neck and neck” among the next five teams and eight of the 21 teams raised more than $5000.

Member for Flinders Peter Treloar opened the event at Poole Oval, sharing a story about his father-in-law’s battle with prostate cancer and the leaps forward in research and treatment since he died 11 years ago.

Mr Treloar said had he been diagnosed today, “his treatment would have been better and his chances of survival would have been much better”.

“All is not lost, we’re going to beat this one day and we’ll beat it with the help of days like this.”

Breast cancer survivor Alison Reynolds shared her cancer journey at the candlelight ceremony on Saturday night, as teams paused the relay to honour loved ones lost to cancer and support those living with cancer.

Mrs Reynolds shared her experiences from her diagnosis in 2014 to treatment and the kindness and support from family, friends and medical professionals.

Two and a half years later she said she was “doing just fine” but it did change her life.

“There’s nothing I can do to change what has happened so I’m just embracing the good that has come out of this,” Mrs Reynolds said.

Highest fundraisers

Hunting for a Cure

Best baton

Park Terrace Dental

Best mailbox

Leading Edge Jewellers

Best team costume

Hunting for a Cure

Best team banner

Hi-Viz Heroes

Best themed campsite

St Joseph’s Sleepwalkers