Walking for CHANGE
Relay For Life is a fun and moving overnight experience that raises vital funds for Cancer Council’s research, prevention and support services.
Christine Blunt believes the world will be cancer free one day and she’s doing something about it. Every year since 2007, she’s participated in Relay For Life, the world’s largest fundraising event for the prevention, detection, treatment and survival of cancer.
When her brother-in-law passed away after a battle with bowel cancer, Christine signed up for Cancer Council Queensland’s Relay For Life. With a team of friends and family, she travelled 50 kilometres from her home town of Bowen, in Far North Queensland, to the nearest Relay For Life event in the Whitsundays.
Christine’s passion to give back, honour her relative’s life, raise awareness and make a tangible contribution towards a cure for cancer spurred her on.
By 2010, she’d launched Relay For Life in Bowen, which collected more than $60,000, the greatest funds raised per capita by any event in Queensland that year.
In 2014, Christine was diagnosed with cancer. A suspected hernia turned out to be an ovarian tumour the size of a football. Surgery was followed by chemo, which involved an arduous weekly round trip of 400 kilometres between Bowen and Townsville. Despite that, Christine continued to fundraise and share her story. In 2015, she was named the face of the Bowen/Collinsville Relay For Life, which raised another $40,000.
Now cancer free, Christine has been named the 2016 Australian Global Hero of Hope by the American Cancer Society (Relay For Life was founded in the United States in 1985), her courage and survival acknowledged and rewarded.
Today, Relay For Life is held in over 20 countries and attracts four million participants worldwide per year.
Teams of 10 to 15 people – supported by a team captain like Christine – walk or run relay-style for 18 hours overnight. Camping is encouraged and costumes, though not mandatory, add a great sense of camaraderie.
Cancer survivors like Christine inspire hope, courage and determination. Share her dream of a cancer-free future for all. Give back, raise awareness, honour the life of a loved one. Encourage friends and family to join you in Relay For Life and make a tangible difference for all Australians affected.
ENCOURAGE FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO JOIN YOU IN RELAY FOR LIFE AND MAKE A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS AFFECTED.