By Luke Voogt
Geelong Relay for Life has been cancelled this year, head organiser Anne Miller confirmed to the Independent this week.
The Corio retiree, who has raised more than $10,000 for the event since her mum succumbed to throat cancer in 2006, is urging locals to donate online instead.
With Victoria’s “much-needed lockdowns” likely to prevent stalls for Daffodil Day on August 27, Anne encouraged locals to donate online for that too.
“It’s never too early to donate,” she said.
“You can still give to your favourite Cancer Council event.”
Geelong Relay for Life has raised $4.4 million for research into cancer treatment and support in the 22 years since it began.
“That’s part of why today many more people can survive – I never say cured – and live very active and fulfilling lives with cancer,” Anne said.
The event raised $31,000 last year despite being shifted online due to COVID-19, which Anne credits to her “team of wonderful volunteers”.
She hopes to beat that mark online following the cancellation of the relay – initially scheduled for October – to protect its vulnerable participants.
“Our survivors are our VIPs,” she said.
“We call anyone who’s been through treatment a survivor, whether it’s one day or 50 years.
“I’m hesitant to ask for donations with all that people are going through with COVID.
“But so many people are still happy to donate. We’re very good supporting each other here in Geelong.”
Anne’s mother survived breast cancer in 1994, only for the disease to return in her throat a decade later.
“They had just retired after living and working on the farm, and had moved up to the beautiful Murray River,” she remembered, tearily.
“Obviously there was something lurking there that they hadn’t picked up.
“I remember thinking, ‘that can’t be right’ and then ‘she’ll get well’, because people do get well from it these days.”
Her mum, a lifelong non-smoker, fought for another two years before succumbing to the disease.
“I also had a very good friend who passed a couple years before from brain cancer,” Anne added.
In 2007 a work colleague asked Anne to join their team, and she has raised money for Cancer Council and vital research ever since.
“Every day you pick up the paper and there’s some new treatment or something to improve patients’ lives,” she said.
“That’s what it’s all about.”
To donate: daffodilday.com.au or search Geelong at fundraising.cancer.org.au
