Community comes together for cancer support and hope
It has been almost nine years since Manawatū woman Jo Schlierike was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Her illness predated bowel cancer screening, so she had to pick up on the symptoms herself. “I knew there was something not right, but I was really scaredycat about it,” she said.
But one morning she decided to do something about it, and sought help.
She needed surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and it worked.
“I’m here, that’s the main thing,” she said. “At my last colonoscopy, they told me to go home and celebrate.”
But her own story of survival is not the only thing that will be on her mind tomorrow when she will cut the ribbon at the start of the survivors’ lap signalling the beginning of this year’s Relay for Life/Te Ara Toiora. She lost her husband Michael to cancer 18 months ago, and had many friends who had also died. “I don’t just do it for me. I take all those people with me. It’s quite humbling and emotional.”
Schlierike, who took part in her first relay eight years ago, said it was amazing to see hundreds of people take to the track.
This year there are 104 teams registered to take part, with all 120 tent sites on the Manawatū riverside walkway reserve off Manawatū St booked out.
A progress report on fundraising suggested $150,000 had been collected so far from a variety of events and activities, from raffles to runs and concerts to bingo.
The goal is to raise $400,000 to support those with cancer.
Anyone can visit the event from noon tomorrow until noon on Sunday, whether they are part of a team or not.
There will be a range of activities on the day, including live entertainment and a health hub full of games and fun things to do, and there will also be food trucks on site.
Chairman of the Manawatū Relay for Life, Richard Anderson, will open the event with the Relay for Life Oath.
It refers to the relay’s purpose — to celebrate those who have or have had cancer and those who care for them, to remember those who have died, and to fight back by raising awareness and money for the Cancer Society.