Relay 2018 Recap

Relay for Life is a special time in so many different ways for so many people. This annual event took place Friday, June 1st - a memorable start to the last month of school. Through a full, twelve-hour day of walking the track, engaging in rambunctious activities like a watermelon-eating competition and water fight, and opening up to friends as the sun settles down for the night, where many laughs and tears are shed. We remember and honour the loved ones that cancer has taken from us, celebrate the strong, inspiring survivors, and relearn what it means to be alive, healthy, and happy, with hope that one day, no one will fear the word “cancer”.

How does this huge event happen every year? We owe a huge thanks to the Relay for Life Committee here at Bell High School, headed by Ryan Tu, Nicolas Canham, and the wonderful Ms. Szebedinszky, that made Relay possible. However, every single individual that participates is part of the process. To spend the day at Relay for Life, you must fundraise at least $100, all of which goes to the Canadian Cancer Society. Bell students got creative with raising the funds: in addition to door-to-door canvassing, groups held bake sales during lunch and sold items on social media platforms. It can be tricky to wrangle up that much money, and you might be walking in the rain for hours on end to be turned down at most houses. But that in itself is the spirit of Relay for Life: putting aside yourself and your wants for a much greater purpose.

The temperature on the day of the event could be best described as “a sauna”. The humidity was insane and you could immediately see the signs of doubt and regret on everyone’s faces: “What have I signed up for?!” As the day wore on, people began to get a bit more comfortable with their constantly sweaty state and just enjoyed themselves. Friends were chatting together while walking the track, tossing a Frisbee around, and getting their entire bodies painted! Open mic was tons of fun; no one really cared whether you could sing or not. But the most special part of the day was, by far, the Luminary Ceremony. Only a sliver of sunshine rested on the horizon and the air was cool. The track was dotted with paper bag luminaries aglow in the dusk, and that each one held a significance to each person present made the scene even more magical. Adeline Wang and Anvita Gupta, the Luminary Heads, read a powerful speech that touched the crowd. Individuals went up to the front, shared the personal reason why they relay, and rung a small bell, something that cancer patients do to celebrate life after undergoing treatment. A walk around the track ensued, one of remembrance and emotion. The power of sadness yet also of healing was tangible in that moment.

The night finished off with a glow dance and lots of sharing secrets under the stars. Before leaving, the word “HOPE” was spelled out using the luminaries. And that small word is what each of us took with us when we left Relay for Life. You never know when you or someone you love will be affected by cancer. But events such as these help us to be strong. And no matter the weather, leaving with that feeling of strength and hopefulness lets us know that Relay for Life 2018 was truly a night to remember.