Teams hoping to run up cash for cancer charity (From Worcester News)

Teams hoping to run up cash for cancer charity

3:20pm Wednesday 1st September 2010 in News By Elizabeth Sweetman, @lizsweetmanWN #worcsnews

IT may not be as well-known as its more famous cousin the Race for Life, but this year’s Relay for Life is set to be bigger and better than ever.

The 24-hour event, which raises money for Cancer Research, is taking place at the Nunnery Wood Sports Centre, Worcester, on Saturday and Sunday.

Teams of men, women and children are set to take part in the emotional and inspiring relay, with runners setting off at noon on Saturday.

Participants have until 11.45am on the day to register as can survivors – people who are battling or have battled against cancer – who are celebrated with the opening lap of the event.

Pat Mills, of Warndon Villages, Worcester, battled ovarian cancer in 2001 and the 60-year-old is now the joint survivorship chairman on the relay’s organising committee.

Last year, she went to a Relay for Life presentation with the sole intention of getting involved in the survivors part of the event, but she was encouraged to join a team with girls from work and has never looked back.

Mrs Mills said: “I’m glad the girls talked me into it because I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. I would des-cribe the whole relay experience as moving, emotional, inspirational and tiring.

“Although exhausted at the end, I knew I wanted to be involved again this year so my husband suggested I should volunteer to be part of the committee, but before I had a chance I was asked by a member of the committee if I would like to join them.

“So in less than a year I have gone from survivor to team member, to joint survivorship chair on this year’s organising committee.”

Participants camp at the site during the night and they can also enjoy a number of fun activities or performances by local bands and singers. Worcester singer Steve Maitland has performed at Relay for Life for the past three years.

The 38-year-old of Toulouse Drive, Norton, said: “It just started off as a favour, but once you go there and see what people are doing and what it means to them, I just love doing it.

“People are all there for the same thing.

“It’s great to be able to sing and give people a bit of encouragement as they do their laps.”