Hawke's Bay groups run own Relay for Life events after Cancer Society's cancellation

Last year's Relay for Life event at Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hastings man Sukhdeep Singh says the Hawke's Bay Cancer Society gave him the confidence to tell the people who matter about his diagnosis.

Now he wants to help them.

Singh, 35, remembers the day he was diagnosed with leukaemia and the fear he felt afterwards.

He's a personal banker at the Havelock North branch of ANZ, and is forever grateful to the Cancer Society, Hawke's Bay for the help he received.

On April 12, he and his ANZ Hawke's Bay team, will do their own Relay for Life event to fundraise for the society.

ANZ branch manager Lindsay Hore said their Relay for Life event came about after the original event was cancelled.

"We knew this was their second biggest fundraiser for the year, so we quickly came together to talk about ways that we could still raise money and create awareness for such a special cause."

It will consist of a relay starting from ANZ Stortford Lodge, to ANZ Hastings, out to ANZ Havelock North, all the way across to ANZ Napier and then heading towards the finish point of ANZ Taradale.

"This is a total of 41.3km - we have some staff members doing the whole thing, and a bunch of our awesome ANZ team doing different legs of the event to make it a 'relay' in the spirit of the cancelled 'Relay for Life'."

He hopes the event will raise $2000 for the Cancer Society.

Taradale High School is also organising a version of Relay for Life, with more details to come.

Singh was diagnosed with leukaemia on January 9, 2015 by Hawke's Bay Hospital doctors.

"It started with me feeling tired, couldn't get up."

He said he went to the doctor and had a test, and was told he had low iron levels.

"So I received an iron transfusion and was fine for a bit."

He had another two iron transfusions before he decided to take matters into his own hands.

"I had a transfusion again and the doctor was saying I was fine. I then did my own research because I was very concerned the doctor wasn't listening to me.

"I had lost between 10kg and 12kg and was very, tired."

He went to hospital after doing research and implored the doctor to conduct more tests.

"They agreed. After one week I got a call from my doctor saying I needed to come in."

He was diagnosed with leukaemia and treatment was started the next day.

"The first six months are quite hard for anyone going through it and they [Cancer Society, HB] were there for me."

After the diagnosis Singh received two free counselling sessions and two free massages from the Cancer Society, HB.

"I had not told anyone but my wife. Not my father, not my friends, but when I got my counselling I got confidence to tell everyone including work colleagues.

"It's quite a big thing for me to raise funds for the Cancer Society because they are there to help when you need it."