Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Saturday, Redcliffe held the 2010 Redcliffe Relay for Life. Relay for Life is a fundraising event held by the Cancer Council. However, this is not just any event. It is a unique event where teams of 10 to 15 people challenge themselves to take turns to keep a baton moving in a relay style walk or run overnight. The event starts at 3 pm on a Saturday and continues on until 9 am on the Sunday. Team members are encouraged to raise a minimum of $100 each. The event kicks off celebrating the lives of those who have battled cancer, with the first lap honouring cancer survivors and carers. At dusk, a candle-lighting ceremony takes place to remember those lost or someone living with cancer. At the closing ceremony you make a pledge to fight against cancer in your own special way.

For the third year, I entered my team, the Petrie Possums. In addition, I was honoured this year to be the patron for the Redcliffe Relay for Life. In addition to promoting the event in the lead-up to the day, I had the honour of reading the Relay for Life oath at the opening ceremony. The motto for the Relay for Life is: ‘Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back!’

People are also asked to think about who they are relaying for. This year, I and my team relayed for someone very dear to our hearts. Last year, I held the Petrie Essay and Public Speaking Competition. The secondary school winner was a 15-year-old boy from St Paul’s School at Bald Hills named Sam Harvey. Sam came down to Canberra as part of the prize and spent a day learning about parliament and meeting with members and senators, including you, Mr Speaker.

Just after Anzac Day this year I was contacted by a family member of Sam and advised that Sam had been diagnosed with sarcoma, a bone cancer. Sam was allowed to remain at home over that long weekend and then was admitted to hospital to immediately start intensive chemotherapy. Ten weeks ago, Sam underwent surgery to remove a femur and received a prosthetic bone in its place. Sam is up and mobile and still undergoing chemotherapy. In fact, last week he underwent five days of chemotherapy, finishing on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, Sam arrived at the Relay for Life with his mum and dad and aunt. Sam walked the first lap as a survivor with me. Today, Sam went back to school, determined to complete year 11. Sam is an inspiration. His courage and strength was my team’s motivation to walk the 18 hours during the Relay for Life.

In addition, my office staff and I have someone even closer to us who is also battling cancer. Judi in my electorate office is currently fighting bowel cancer. Judi is a woman who does not like people fussing over her and is continuing to work after just starting treatment last week. The diagnosis is positive and we know that Judi’s courage and hope will see her through. It is for these people and the many young people battling cancer that we relay.

This year’s Redcliffe Relay for Life was a great success despite a change of venue due to flooding of the fields at the Tigers AFL Club and gale force winds leading up to the event. I would like to acknowledge and thank the Queensland Cancer Council and particularly Katie Bottom. I would also like to thank Neville Cullen, the Redcliffe RSL and the Redcliffe Relay for Life Volunteer Committee for 2010. A big thankyou should go to the Redcliffe Kippa-Ring Lions for stepping in at the last minute and saving the day by providing an alternative venue at the Redcliffe showgrounds. I would like to congratulate all 25 teams that entered this year. They made the event the success that it was.

I would like to acknowledge the sponsors for the Petrie Possums team. The gold sponsors, donating $1,000 or more, were the Redcliffe Leagues Club, the Redcliffe Kippa-Ring Lions, the AWU and TLC IT Solutions. Silver sponsors of $500 plus were Helen-Maree Butler, from Suncorp, Kippa-Ring, and the Qld Hibernian Friendly Society, BallyCara. The bronze sponsors of $100 plus were Quota International Redcliffe; Councillor Chris Whiting, from the Moreton Bay Regional Council; Maree Adshead, from Mobile IP; Rod Chiapello, owner of McDonalds Bracken Ridge; Tony Crudgington, from Redcliffe Environmental Forum; Dean Wells, the member for Murrumba; the Belvedere Hotel; WOW Events Management; and Rotary Sunwise. Many more people from my local community gave donations and some of my parliamentary colleagues did too.

Thanks to all of the team members and walkers for the Petrie Possums who came out throughout the night to walk with us. Our team was the highest fundraiser and at last count we had raised $7,824.70, which is a fantastic result. Although my body is still recovering from the event, it was worth every second, with every cent raised by the Petrie Possums going to the Cancer Council to support the research and support services that the council provide.

Question agreed to.