Relay for Life
29.05.2010 | 30.05.2010
Majlis Sukan Negara, Bukit Jalil
Celebrate. Remember. Fight back.
***
this is the field looking fantastic at 2pm, before it rained and rained and rained. we completely ruined the field after the 16 hours - you should have seen the mud. we walked around barefoot! It was horrifying.
It's hard to find words for the experience, somehow. What did we do for 20 hours?
Volunteer: ushering, balloon blowing, ice-cream eating, evolved to us - ju vern suraj xiao qi ming ying q-en ying ying rita sarah jo ann yew chong mugilan - sitting around in circles and laughing.
Sing, dance, listen, watch: there was a stage on the field, where we crowded around and sang Heal the World, danced to Glee, listened to Just Stand Up and Stand by Me, watched a 'Miss Relay' pagent.
Walk: around the track, and occasionally run around it when taking part in a scavenger hunt looking for the person with the longest hair or Dr. Delilah's mum at 3 in the morning.
Take pictures: of course.
Meet people: Syn Dee, Jason, Sheau Wei and the team, Jeremiah, random Intec people wandering around, Ian from Monash whom we bullied into giving us a cenderahati.
and at random times in the night: collect free samples of Milo; pledge to drive safely; marvel at syn dee's athletic friends; get a foot massage; inspect the portable toilets; plan trips around the country, talk!
***
Randomness aside, tiredness aside, the night was about cancer survivors and the fight against cancer. Watching the purple-clad cancer survivors walk past us, heads held high, smiling - it was amazing. For them to brave the rain, for them to make the effort to support the cause was inspiring and selfless. Grace, and dignity. Strength.
And then there were the cancer survivors who surpassed even that. We dragged Suraj to take a picture with this aunty dressed as a clown. Because he didn't like clowns. No deeper reason. But then I saw her smile as we took the picture and thanked her. Beauty.
Celebrate life. Remember love. Fight back.
Think of -
***
in memory of.
and in dedication to those who are fighting.
you are not alone.
you are not alone.
***
photos taken from facebook
with special mention to sarah chew for that beautiful last photo