Populareventreturns
East Kilbride is getting set for the country’s longest running Relay for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.
The town’s 21st relay, which sees team members take it in turn to walk round the track over a 24hour period, will get on its marks on Friday from 7pm at the John Wright Sports Centre.
MSP Linda Fabiani and South Lanarkshire provost Ian McAllan will start the event along with East Kilbride Pipe Band.
Committee member of the East Kilbride Relay for Life, Sue Bell, said: “This is our 21st relay so around 8pm we will celebrate our birthday with cake and bubbles.
“Our candle ceremony where those taking part remember loved ones takes place at 10.30pm.
“Saturday starts with a workout and a cooked breakfast.
“Through the afternoon we have inflatable fun, raffles, tombola, stalls, fancy dress, dance shows, live music, Soundsations choir, a haunted house, team games, tug of war, science experiments and lots more.
“The event finishes at 7pm on Saturday when the estimated total will be announced and prizes awarded to teams.”
This year also saw organisers scattering patches of purple flowers on landmarks across the town and adorned bridges with signs reading ‘LIFE’, ‘CURE’ and ‘HOPE’ in a bid to raise the profile of the event which raised more than £37,000 in 2017.
Money raised through Relay For Life funds the work of thousands of scientists, doctors and nurses who are dedicated to saving more lives by preventing, controlling and curing all cancers.
Survival rates have doubled over the last 40 years but, despite improvements in treatment, cancer causes more than one in four of all deaths in the UK.
Cancer Research UK needs the help of people in East Kilbride to help save many more lives.