Relay for life celebrates million milestone

The Isle of Man Relay For Life fundraising committee is celebrating raising £1 Million after 12 years of supporting Cancer Research UK.

The Relay For Life committee announced the amazing total of £1,035,542 (as it stands on Sunday, August 29) to hundreds of supporters at the 12th annual Relay For Life at the NSC in Douglas at its closing ceremony.

This years ceremony alone raised £100,439.

The first Relay For Life event took place at the NSC in Douglas in 2010 and has since grown from strength to strength, seeingthousands of Islanders take part in the event.

Relay For Life events take place across the world. They are an inspirational celebration of life and hope which unites communities to help beat over 200 types of cancer and culminates in a fantastic family event weekend of celebration.  

Teams fundraise throughout the year for lifesaving cancer research and then during the Relay weekend, team members take it in turns to walk around a track for 24-hours to show their solidarity in the fight to beat cancer.  

Nicola Walkingshaw, Event Chair said: “This incredible amount raised is thanks to so many people on our lovely Island, who have supported Relay For Life. I would like to thank all the committee members over the years for their hard work in pulling this event together, everyone who has fundraised and taken part in teams, all the survivors who have joined us for the opening lap and who have been our guests of honour, our sponsors, media partners, and local businesses who have contributed and the generosity of our community in continuing to support us.”

Money raised by the Relay For Life Isle of Man funds research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, taking place in the North West, where many people from the Island are treated, helping to ensure more people survive. 

Paula Sheehan, Cancer Research UK fundraising spokesperson for the Island, said: “The Isle of Man community has made a huge contribution to Cancer Research UK’s work over the past 12years and we are incredibly grateful to everyone on the Island who has played their part in the fight against cancer. 

“Our determination to beat the disease hasn’t faltered and we are more focused than ever on our ambition of seeing 3 in 4 people survive their cancer by 2034. However, our progress relies on the incredible dedication and commitment of volunteers and supporters like the Relay For Life Isle of Man committee and all of the fabulous Relayers fundraising tirelessly, without whom we would not be able to fund our life-saving work. One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime*. All of us can support the research that will beat it.”

3FM spoke to Event Chair, Nicola Walkingshaw: