The bright and sunny weather on Wednesday, May 25th, perfectly matched the mood of everyone attending the Relay for Life celebration. More than 100 people dressed in pirate costumes, lab coats and jerseys flooded in at 9 AM to check in for the event and set up tents. Before we knew it, the opening ceremonies commenced, with the congratulating of the team $lumdog Millionaires for raising the most money while the teams accompanied by cancer survivors walking a lap around the school. The rest of the morning offered up a variety of choices: playing a rousing game of water pong or snakes in ladders, going on a bounce in the bouncy castle or simply enjoying the outdoors. I took this time to play a nail biting game of snakes and ladders.
Time flew by fast, and soon we were participating in the lunch and afternoon activities: tug of war, face painting, and dodgeball, to name a few. One of the highlights of the events was the tug of war. It was the first time I had ever participated and it was a cool experience. I also really enjoyed the food provided throughout the day. They not only gave us lunch and breakfast, but snacks too, with samosas and donuts being handed out later. The day ended with the closing ceremony in the gymnasium. When we entered, we were met with all the luminaries we had made earlier displayed in the word ‘love.’ This was paired with an amazing performance by the Martingrove String Orchestra.
The whole visual really drove home what Relay is really about. It isn’t about the amazing food or dodgeball, it’s about finding a cure for cancer. Cancer has touched not only everyone attending, but probably everyone in the world. After the celebrations are over and the decorations are cleared up, we should remember what’s truly important. That is supporting people who have cancer and cancer survivors, along with researching for a cure. As a school we ensure Relay has an impact. This year we raised over $14,000. This money will be used to fund cancer research and to provide a national support system for cancer patients. At the end of the event it was clear that Martingrove as a school is bigger than cancer.
Image taken by Sanaa Mahmud