On the 25th of March, an event called Relay for Life was held on the Otago University campus. This event is a fundraiser to help the Cancer Society to continue important research into improving cancer treatments and also to be able to provide support to cancer patients and their families.

The relay was a tough 12-hour race that started at 6pm on Saturday the 25th and concluded at 6am on Sunday the 26th. Throughout the night there were special ceremonies where the community was able to come together and remember and embrace the struggles of cancer. These ceremonies included a lap of silence to remember those who have been affected by cancer in any form,  and there was a wall of remembrance for people to remembrances for their loved ones who have battled cancer.

Within our Columba community, we have many families who have had the heartache of living with cancer, and we know there will be many more who are yet to face it. I really wanted to help support other people within our nation who have been through what my own family has been through, so by getting a team of Year 13s to come together to battle the 12 hours of walking together and facing the rain and cold, we were able to do our part for fundraising for the Cancer Society. With lots of aches and pains, we finished the night when the clocktower bells rang at 6am, knowing that we had taken part in something that could help to change the outcome of someone's life.

As a team, we were able to fundraise $4,477 in only one week, which is an amazing effort! We would all like to thank all the people who took part in donating to this amazing cause. As a collective, the Otago community was able to raise $121,283 which is amazing!

Relay for Life Team:

• Hannah C
• Phoebe 
• Meg 
• Zoe 
• Elloise 
• Emily 
• Grace 
• Holly 
• Hannah C
• Tayla 
• Hannah O