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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 7, 2015 | 24 Relay for Life is all about fighting back against cancer by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Lacing up the sneakers, stretching out the limbs and hitting the track is more than a chance to stay fit for some participants of the Oakville Relay for Life. For them, it celebrates being a cancer survivor and finding the strength and support to battle the devastating disease. For others, it's a place where they can remember and honour those lost to cancer. It's no wonder the Oakville Relay has become much more than a mere fundraiser, according to Shelley Frank, community fundraising specialist for the Canadian Cancer Society's Halton Community Office. "It's very sentimental," she said. "There's no other event that offers that -- where you can be amongst a group of people all mourning someone you've lost to cancer or honouring someone who has fought it. So, you're in very similar company." Frank says there are many things that make the Canadian Cancer Society's signature event unique, but at the forefront is the fact it's the only fundraiser that runs overnight. The Oakville Relay for Life runs from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. on June 19 at the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish grounds, 1039 Dundas St. W. "It makes us unique that we're in all communities across Canada, so you don't have to go very far to find a relay near to Participants walk past the illuminated HOPE sign during last year's Relay for Life event in Oakville. This year's relay takes place June 19 at the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish grounds from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. | Oakville Beaver file photo you," noted Frank. "There aren't any other relays, as far as I know, where you have that challenge of one person is going to walk the track for an hour and the next person does, and you pass the baton. It really is a team-building opportunity. "... Because the community is right here, it's your friends and neighbours you see every day out on the track and I think that makes it special too," she said. This will be the 14th annual Relay for Life in Oakville and Frank said organizers are setting the fundraising goal at $250,000. Last year's event saw approximately 600 people attend and it's hoped that will climb to 750 this year. Opening ceremonies for Relay are set for 6:30 p.m., followed by a ceremony for survivors before they walk the first lap of the night. The luminary ceremony returns once again, which will see the lighting of candles in flameretardant bags -- placed around the track -- in honour of those who have fought, lost or continue to fight their battle against cancer. Frank says this year, there is a conscious effort to put the "relay" back in Relay for Life. "We're really trying to bring the focus back to the track and the baton. One person from every team must be on the track with the baton at all times during the event," she said. "And we're going to do a lot of fun, interactive and engaging activities on the track to get people on there -- to bring the fitness aspect back into relay because we know the correlation between fitness and cancer. We want to get everybody fit so they don't get cancer." Registration for the Oakville Relay costs $25 with a minimum fundraising goal of $100 per participant. Anyone interested in signing up can do so online at http://goo.gl/7UH0gp or www. relayforlife.ca. The community is encouraged to follow the event on June 19 and the days leading up to it on Twitter at @OakvilleRelay and with the hashtag #WhyIRelay. When asked why people should participate in the Oakville Relay for Life, Frank said because the fight against cancer is worth it. "There is no other place where (participants) can come out and be amongst neighbours and friends and coworkers in these festivities that we offer. It's hard to explain, but once they do it they'll always come back.... We just have to say come give it a shot because we're worth it." GIVE INSPIRATION WITH THE FULL OF HEART GIFT SET* *Starting April 9, while supplies last -- purchase PANDORA's "full of heart" gift set for $145. See store for details. Some jewelry displayed patented (US Pat. No. 7,007,507) · © Pandora · PANDORA.NET available at mapleview centre burlington · upper level centre 905.632.5400