UNSW raises funds for cancer

UNSW's student organisation Arc and the NSW Cancer Council joined forces to raise more than $22,000 for cancer research when they hosted the UNSW-Cancer Council Relay For Life.

More than 350 people, grouped into 35 teams, took part in the event. The Minister for Youth and Volunteering, the Hon. Linda Burney, UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Henry and Professor Phillip Hogg from the UNSW Faculty of Medicine were all present at the opening ceremony. The Minister officially started the Relay.

Sponsored participants camped overnight on the UNSW Village Green and took turns walking around the oval as a sign of their support for the one in three Australians under the age of 75 who will be diagnosed with cancer. Cancer sufferers and survivors also participated in the event's opening ceremony and walked the first lap of the relay.

UNSW was the first Australian university to host a Relay For Life, although the program has been running since 2001 and there are 60 events held in NSW each year.

This event was particularly poignant as Virginia Tech in the United Stated held a Relay For Life on the same day, going ahead with their plans despite the recent shooting on their campus in which 33 students were killed.

"Everyone is touched by cancer no matter what community they belong to and with that comes a shared goal of defeating cancer. Relay For Life allows people to join that fight in a fun focused way that is run by students for students," says Relay For Life Relationship Co-ordinator, Jenny Allan.

Money raised will go towards medical research projects, support and education.

For more information on the Relay for life click here

Image caption (L-R) Professor Phillip Hogg (UNSW Faculty of Medicine), Caitlin Hurley (UNSW student and Relay For Life Committee Chair), Professor Richard Henry (UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor), the Hon. Minister Linda Burney (Minister for Youth and Volunteering), Dr Andrew Penman (CEO Cancer Council NSW), Celeste Powell (16-year-old cancer survivor, and Megan Hill (NSW Strategic Manager for Relay For Life)