Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) staff, students, and whānau came together from 3 pm, Saturday 23 March – 8 am, Sunday 24 March to raise funds for the Cancer Society at this year’s Relay for Life at Trentham racecourse.
The VUW team, led by Cancer Society patron and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, kept the baton moving throughout the night, clocking up in excess of 200 km on the course.
Despite sleep deprivation and single-digit nighttime temperatures, spirits remained high—helped no doubt by the plentiful food provided by our generous sponsors Compass Catering and The Lab.
The two teams from VUW, which included a standalone team from Capital Hall, raised over $9,765. This money will be used to fund research and provide care to those affected by cancer. The Wellington event as a whole raised over $600,000—the highest amount ever raised by this event!
Team captains, Leah Edmonds and Des Kelly, extend their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who donated, sponsored, participated or in some other way contributed to the success of the VUW team. Your dedication and generosity exemplify the values of our university community and inspire us to continue making a positive impact in the fight against cancer.
Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so here.
Relay for Life—Te Ara Toiora is a community event to whakanui (celebrate) cancer survivors, maumaharatia (remember) loved ones lost to cancer, and tū atu (fight back) by raising awareness and funds for the Cancer Society.