Ready to relay: 2024 edition three years in the making after Covid, storms

2024 Relay for Life organisers Shay Podjursky, Alice Kibble and Duncan Chisholm stand in front of what will be the balloon archway that DJ Magick has supplied for the event, which officially starts at noon tomorrow.Picture by Liam Clayton

"We are fizzing.”

So says Shay Podjursky the primary organiser of the 2024 Gisborne Relay for Life which starts at midday tomorrow.

“We are absolutely fizzing to be this close. Everyone is ready and the weather is looking incredible.”

The new location at the A&P Showgrounds front trade area (Poynters Park) will be packed for the 24-hour event.

The Cancer Society fundraiser has attracted 54 teams taking up 75 campsites and comprising more than 700 participants.

Already, more than $87,000 has been raised.

“We are incredibly proud of the effort our teams and fundraisers have put in,” Shay said.

A large team are coming from the East Coast while there are other participants from Wellington, Rotorua and Ōpōtiki.

This year’s event was “three years in the making”.

It is also her first Relay for Life after three years of delays and interruptions caused by Covid-19 and flooding.

She lists the highlights of this year’s relay as —

The customary start to the relay at noon on Saturday — a celebration lap featuring cancer survivors and their carers.

Kidzone, which is open until 3pm on Saturday.

The candlelight ceremony (9pm on Saturday), which honours cancer survivors and those no longer with us.

Breakfast on Sunday from 7am.

In a relay first, electronic lap scoring will record laps being walked, fastest times, and “a whole range of other interesting things”.

Regular Relay for Life compere Walter the Wiz has another array of entertainers to perform on stage.

Gisborne Civic Brass Band will support the celebration lap while the Steve Kingi Band will entertain on  Saturday night.

A donation bucket will be available at the entry gate for visitors who wish to donate and maybe walk some laps.

Visitors are welcome from 10am to 10pm on Saturday and 9am to midday on Sunday.

Donations can also be made at relayforlife.org.nz/o/gisborne-relay

The concept of Relay For Life began in 1985 when Dr Gordon “Gordy” Klatt, a colorectal surgeon, American Cancer Society volunteer and marathon enthusiast, spent 24 hours circling a local sports track at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Around 300 of his friends, family and patients watched and supported him as he walked and ran more than 133 kilometres and raised $27,000 through pledges for cancer research, Since then, Relay For Life has taken place every year and is now the world’s largest cancer fundraising event with 29 countries taking part. The inaugural New Zealand event was held in Manawatū in 2001. On average, over 20 communities throughout New Zealand take on  the challenge of Relay For Life. Gordy himself was diagnosed with stomach cancer and a few years later died from congestive heart failure in August 2014. Globally, Relay for Life has become greater than just a fundraiser . . . it is about communities coming together to support each other and the world’s largest movement fighting cancer.