Lyn's Story

"I hope that through being involved in Relay For Life I can support Cancer Council SA’s research, support, advocacy and prevention campaigns and ensure that my family and others in our community are able to lead a long, cancer free life."

I am a cancer ‘carer’. My father was diagnosed with Bladder cancer in 1990, my mother with Ovarian cancer in 2005.

I absolutely love that Relay For Life is an opportunity for a community to come together and support each other in an emotionally safe environment, regardless of their experience with cancer whether on a cancer journey, as survivor, carer, family or friend. Relay enables people to be proactive about their own health and contribute towards a cancer free world in the future.

My 92-year-old father (a cancer survivor of 27 years) walks each year on his walking frame in the survivor/carer lap (although finishes a long way behind others!) with my two grandchildren who also walk for their great-grandmother who lost her life to ovarian cancer before they were born. My 7-year-old grandson has been participating every year since he was 8 weeks old.

I’ve participated in Dungog Relay for Life since 2002, as a team captain for the past 15 years and on the Committee since 2009 and have been Co-Chair and secretary since 2011.

As a member of Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers group I have increased involvement of survivors and carers at Relay through personal approaches, invitations and ensuring practical and emotional support during the candlelight ceremony.