Cancer survivors urged to join Caithness Relay for Life
LOCALS whose lives have been touched by cancer are being invited to play a key role in the county’s Cancer Research UK Relay for Life.
The organising committee is calling on people who have survived the disease, and others who are currently undergoing treatment, to join the emotional and inspirational lap of honour which marks the start of the overnight event.
Audrey Gunn, chairperson of the group, said: "We would be delighted to break the record number of survivors that take part in our relay as our guests of honour. The record is currently held by Shetland with an amazing 117 survivors. We need everyone that has been affected by cancer to come and join in this event and walk together and be an inspiration to everyone and give hope for the future."
There are, at present, 71 teams taking part in the Caithness Relay for Life – comprising between eight and 15 people – which is being held at the Dammies in Thurso on Saturday, August 27. To date, the Caithness Relay for Life will be the largest staged in the UK this year.
Team members hope to raise as much money as possible in the months leading up to the overnight celebration through a wide range of activities – from coffee mornings, concerts and fun days to stalls and supermarket bag packs – plus donations from friends, family and work colleagues.

During the event team members will take it in turns to walk round the track while everyone else enjoys the carnival atmosphere.
A family fun day is organised for the afternoon prior to the start of the relay between 2pm and 5pm when there will be live music from local bands, Highland dancing, line dancing and martial arts demonstrations.
There will be a mini relay for kids with novelty laps as well as races, bouncy castles, face painting, helium and punchball balloons and lucky dips.
Ms Gunn added: "The survivors’ lap of honour is a crucial part of our Relay for Life. It is a moving start to the relay’s festivities as people of all ages, wearing their T-shirts bearing the word ‘survivor’, step on to the track cheered on by all the team members and the general public.
"The survivors’ lap allows us to honour everyone who has experienced cancer and celebrate the strides that are being made to beat the disease."
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