Haligonians stepped up in a big way over the weekend for The Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life.
It was the first time the event had been held in person in two years due to the pandemic.
Organizer Anna Thomas tells our newsroom it was one of 73 relays held across the country with a goal of raising $5.25 million dollars.
Anna Thomas.
She says the money will be used to help those whose lives have been impacted by cancer and their families through research, programs and services.
“In downtown Halifax, we have a place called The Lodge that Gives, and that’s a place where people can go to stay if they need to have cancer treatment for free of charge for them, and meals are all included,” Thomas says.
There are also wig banks there to help people who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments. Thomas adds much of the funds raised will go towards research, which she says benefits everyone.
Spokesperson 29-year-old Kevin Abraham shared his journey with the crowd who gathered for the event on Saturday.
He was diagnosed with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, a rare bone cancer, in 2016 while he was a student and soccer player at Saint Mary’s University.
WATCH: Kevin’s story here:
“At the time there were only about 13 of us in Canada who had it. They had to extract three of my ribs, my lateral muscle, and a bunch of other tissues around there … They replaced it all with a Gortex mesh,” Abraham says.
He has now been cancer-free for six years and his story is one of resilience.
At the time of diagnosis, Abraham was told he would never play sports again, but that wasn’t the case. He returned to the field after he beat cancer.
“I wanted to prove otherwise,” Abraham says. “The Mount Saint Vincent coach had offered me a spot on the team to see where I could go, and the rest is history. I’m playing at the Mount and I just finished my final season. I’m defying the odds.”
He adds events like the relay remind you of the importance of community for everyone impacted by cancer. You can even see that with the Luminary Ceremony where tributes are put together to provide light and inspiration to participants.
“When you come here you get support from everybody, people that you don’t know, and there is something about that,” Abraham says. “Everyone around here they all support each other and it’s beautiful, it’s good.”
This year the event in Lower Sackville raised more than $30,000.
When asked what he wanted to tell us about his journey, Abraham said to never give up.
“If you’re suffering from illness just keep going, positivity is key,” Abraham says. “Don’t sit home and sulk in it, get out, go for walks, exercise, talk to your friends, that just makes time go by. Stay positive.”
