Hastings student rallies friends for Relay for Life

HELPING HAND: St Johns College student Shea MacDonald dropped off the registrations he'd rallied from classmates to Amber McArthur from the Cancer Society yesterday. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR.

Shea McDonald wasn't asking for much - just for his friends to give up some of their Saturday for a good cause.

The 17-year-old ended up rallying half his year group from St Johns College to help support the Cancer Society by taking part in today's Relay for Life, held at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park.

"I wanted to do it because I've seen how cancer affects people's lives," Shea said. "I have an aunty who's been affected, and a lot of people I know whose family or friends have had cancer, and seeing how it's affected their lives."

Having done the event before, this year the main thing he wanted to do was get as many of his friends, and classmates involved as possible.

"Everyone's got stuff they'd rather be doing, they've got commitments, but it's taking that time to show a bit of support, a bit of sacrifice from us."

The teen said most people he reached out to had been keen to get involved, with 27 classmates pledged to participate in the actual event, or come and show their support.

As well as registration fees, they had also raised over $500 for the society through a sausage sizzle, and donations from students.

About 1200 people are expected to take part in today's event at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park. Seventy-four teams had entered this year's Relay for Life.

The event helps fund the Cancer Society, which has to raise up to $700,000 annually to provide its services.

Those participating in the Hawke's Bay event will be joining more than four million people in more than 6000 global communities who take part every year.

-Relay for Life goes from 11am to 11pm today at Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park.