It’s Time for a Cure!
That is the theme of Quesnel’s 2013 Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life.
Those who attended kick-off last Thursday at the Sandman Hotel were greeted by a leadership team dressed in their pyjamas surrounded by stuffed animals and storybooks – it looked a lot like bedtime. They were then fully introduced to the theme: Time for a Cure.
This theme, suggested by Jennifer Pinette, was chosen by the leadership team for several reasons. Part of the Canadian Cancer Society’s vision is a world where no one ever needs fear a cancer diagnosis, and a cure would be a huge stride towards achieving this vision. We know that while a single cure that would work on all of the 200-plus types of cancer may not be possible, the strides made in research and treatments over the past several decades have gotten us closer to 100 per cent survival rates for many cancers. It’s time to take another step forward in cancer treatment and be able to give those faced with cancer diagnoses hope. It’s Time for a Cure.
The other part of this year’s theme, Time, also has the leadership team and Relay For Life participants very excited for the decorating and activity potential. We are encouraging everyone to put their own spin on the theme – perhaps your tent will be Christmas Time, Easter Time, Tea Time, Bed Time, Party Time, or even Hammer Time. We want people to interpret the theme in their own way and bring unique ideas to their fundraising events and their tent decorating on May 25th at Relay For Life.
Of course, before you start fundraising or planning your tent decorating, you need to register for Relay For Life. There are two ways to register this year – online or on paper. The Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life website, www.relaybc.ca/quesnel2013, has been set up for online registration and donation collection.
This makes it easy to track who has joined your team, how much money you have raised so far, and to collect donations from people you may not see often. You can also personalize your team page and keep friends, family, and other relayers up-to-date on fundraising events. Paper registration forms are available from your team captain or at the Canadian Cancer Society Resource Centre at 332 Front St.
However and whenever you register, we encourage you to be in contact with your team mentor. This person is someone with knowledge and expertise on Relay For Life and is there to help answer your questions and make your Relay For Life experience the best it can be. They are a great person to bounce ideas off of and discuss your plans for relay with. If you’re not sure who your team mentor is, talk with your team captain or contact team development co-chair Cathy Briggs at 250-747-1739 or cbriggsrfl@gmail.com.
Team packages are now available at the Canadian Cancer Society Resource Center at 332 Front St. You can also register online at www.relaybc.ca/quesnel2013.
Feb. 28 will be the next team information night after kickoff.
March 1st is the last day of early bird registration – until this day participants can register for only $10.
After this, the registration fee goes up to $20.
For more information on the Relay For Life event or how you can get involved, contact Michelle Godfrey at 778-414-1222 or 250-983-8815, or Kara Perdue at 250-983-4241.
You can also email quesnelrelay@bc.cancer.ca. For questions about Teams contact Cathy Briggs at 250-747-1739. You can also visit the Relay For Life website at www.relaybc.ca/quesnel2013 for information on the Canadian Cancer Society, to register your team, and for online donations.
Kara Perdue is leadership co-chair for Relay For Life.