Hundreds in Suffolk prepare for 24 hour relay to raise money for cancer research

It's also a chance to celebrate survivors and remember those lost to the disease

Author: Sian RochePublished 29th Jun 2024

Cancer survivors and their families in Suffolk are gearing up to take part in a 24 hour long fundraising relay.

Next Saturday (6th July), hundreds will gather in Bury St Edmunds to take turns walking laps around Nowton Park, as part of Cancer Research UK's 'Relay for Life'.

Relays are taking place up and down the country, with the charity saying they'll help "remember loved ones we have lost and celebrate those who have survived".

David Cianciola is co-event chair for the event and told us it's going to be a celebration: "It's a celebration of survivorship, not just a fight against cancer...

"As a cancer survivor myself I'm keen to celebrate survivorship and a lot of our survivors feel the same - let's shout from the rooftops that we've had this life-threatening illness and we've got through it!"

"We've got lots of people in their eighties taking part"

He's expecting all sorts of people to take part: "Our youngest participant this year is five or sixth months old!

"I don't know how old our oldest participant is but I know we've got lots of people in their eighties taking part."

This year will be the event's fifteenth anniversary - and there'll be special themed laps over the course of the day, including a bubble lap, a Christmas lap and a YMCA lap.

So far it's raised more than £500,000 for charity, and organisers hope this year's edition will raise over £30,000.

David explained what the money will go towards: "A box of 100 test tubes costs £4 so our fundraising will go fund everything from the basics - like a test tube - to funding graduates training for a PhD.

"All of the machines needed are also phenomenally expensive so some will be spent on those too."

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