Heart for a relay against cancer

Published: 27 November 2011

Walking the walk: Sacred Heart's Relay for Life team take a well-earned break

HEAVY rain, strong winds and stinging hail were no match for a determined group from Sacred Heart Primary School, Sandgate, who took part in the Queensland Cancer Council's Relay for Life recently.

Principal Chris Bathersby said just after the relay had started participants were whipped by a large storm.

"There was lots of hail and wind and rain, but luckily we were unscathed and the relay continued," he said.
 
Mr Bathersby said that for the past two years staff and their families had competed at the Pine Rivers leg of the relay, which raises money for research into a cure for cancer.

"We see it as our staff's 'Outreach' - putting our mission to reach out to others into practice," he said.

"We raise funds to support the work of the Queensland Cancer Council in their fight against cancer."

The Relay for Life involves someone from each team walking on the relay course at all times from 3pm Saturday until 9am Sunday.

It involved all team members being out on the course at the start and end of the relay, but throughout the night individual team members took it in turns to walk the course.

Mr Bathersby said it was always amazing to witness the spirit of the event and the enthusiasm of young people of the district to get involved.

"It's a long night - but the reward you feel to be a part of the 'bigger picture' is in itself enough to outweigh the loss of sleep," he said.