THE rain held off and the sun peeked out for the opening of the 2016 Horsham and Districts Relay For Life on Friday night.
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The event saw 51 teams take to Dock Lake Reserve to walk laps from 6pm Friday until noon Saturday to raise cancer awareness and money for the Cancer Council.
Member for Lowan Emma Kealy spoke at the start of the event.
She praised those gathered.
“It resonates with me everyone coming together,” she said.
“Cancer certainly touches everyone.
“I know people have been walking for many, many years in a row.
“This is what it’s all about – putting an end to cancer sooner rather than later.”
Warracknabeal breast cancer survivor Gayle Jeffery had the honour of cutting the ribbon ahead of the first lap of the evening.
Mrs Jeffery is also the founder of 50 Shades of Pink.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.
Mrs Jeffery has been cancer-free for almost five years.
“You take each day as it comes,” she said.
“You need to control life, you can’t let it control you.”
She said it was an absolute honour and a privilege to cut the ribbon prior to the carers and survivors lap.
“I love this event,” she said.
“It means so much to so many.
“Everyone is here for different reasons.”
Mrs Jeffery said since she was diagnosed with cancer, her life had changed forever.
She now dedicates a lot of her time to supporting other people with cancer.
“People come to me and I try to steer them in the right direction,” she said.
“They say everything happens for a reason.”
As part of her work, Mrs Jeffery helped get a breast cancer screening bus to visit Warracknabeal.
The bus now visits the town every two years.
Mrs Jeffery said she found it so important to work towards a cancer cure.
“I have three daughters and I do this so they don’t have to go through it,” she said.
“We do this so one day we may live in a cancer-free world.
“We want to see our kids grow up and have their own kids – I believe we will find a cure.”
She said, for now, it was important for people to be vigilant when it came to their health.
“Be proactive,” she said.
“Not just with breast cancer but with all cancers – get checked.”
Mrs Jeffery and her daughters walked with the Warracknabeal Secondary College Relay For Life team at the weekend. The opening ceremony also included the Horsham Primary School signing choir and Emily Friedrichsen-Hay performing the national anthem.
