The countdown is on for one of the region’s biggest events with Border Relay for Life 2018 officially launching across Albury and Wodonga on Saturday.
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Masses of purple and yellow supporters appeared in eight sites across the Border, marking the launch with sausage sizzles, balloons and plenty of prizes.
Cancer Council’s Brianna Carracher said they’re hoping the 2018 event, on October 27 to 28, would surpass previous years.
“This year it’s going to be bigger and better we’re hoping,” she said.
“We’ve got a few surprises up our sleeve this year we’ll be letting them out at different team information nights.”
Last year’s event had 2400 participants in 124 teams raise more than $375,000.
Ms Carracher said the Border community was very engaged with the event and they were hoping to match or exceed last year’s participation.
“We’re trying to encourage people now to learn when it’s on, get it in their calendar and start thinking about it and register their teams,” she said.
“The Border community know about Border Relay and look forward to it every year. Once they’re there I think they come back every year.”
Ms Carracher said since its inception in 2002 the community had embraced the event and raised more than $2.5 million. It was so successful not only because of the cause but because of the benefits the community saw.
“Cancer really does touch so many of us, I think you’re very lucky if you haven’t been touched one way or another in your life,” she said.
“They see the money helps people locally for example through our transport to treatment car, that’s been helping people for a few years now. We have two cars down here and that is helped to be funded by Border Relay for Life.
“We do things like support service, pro-bono financial assistance and legal advice, assistance in paying bills.
“Whether you’re going through a diagnosis or just after advice Cancer Council is there to help you and I think that’s why people understand the cause is really important and Cancer Council is relevant to everyone.”