SCS Relay For Life Returns For 2019

The TalkMed Relay For Life, organised by the Singapore Cancer Society, is a 15-hour overnight event that offers everyone a chance to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers’ triumphs against the disease, remember loved ones lost to cancer and fight back against the disease.

World Wide Phenomenon

A global movement originally founded in Washington in May 1985 by the American Cancer Society, Relay For Life has since grown into a world-wide phenomenon, and has become one of the world’s largest fundraisers, having raised about USD $5 billion to fight cancer globally.

And with the debut of the Relay For Life last year, Singapore is the 25th country to bring the series to its shores and to rally the local community to fight back against cancer, a disease which has taken so much.

On a personal note, with my Mum having battled brain cancer since 2014, and last month underwent a second surgery to remove the recurring tumours in her brain, I hope that a cure for cancer can eventually be found, so that future generations do not need to suffer from cancer like my Mum has.

Set to take place from 2 – 3 March

Now, back for the third edition in Singapore, the 2019 TalkMed Relay For Life will take place from 2 – 3 March 2019 from 6pm in the evening, all the way to 9am the following morning, at the National Stadium, Singapore Sports Hub.

Event Highlights

Some of the event highlights at the Relay For Life Singapore event, include the Luminaria Ceremony, Games Stations, Superheroes meet and greet sessions as well as Live performances and a mass workout, in order to cater to the masses.

A key component of any Relay For Life event, the Luminaria Ceremony is a ceremony of remembrance and hope that is meant to honour cancer survivors as well as those who have lost their battles against cancer, through the usage of paper bags with the names of cancer victims or survivors written on them.

At last year’s edition of the Relay For Life Singapore, I had prepared a Luminaria bag in remembrance of my grandpa, who lost his battle to lung cancer in November 2014. It was very meaningful to have been a part of this.

Event Categories

And because nobody should be left to fight cancer alone, runners who wish to take part in the Relay For Life Singapore 2019 can choose one of two categories to take part in. These are as follows.

Regular – Show your support by walking or running on the stadium track for the 15 hour duration of the event at your own pace, without a distance goal.This category is to symbolise that our fight against cancer never sleeps. And runners can join this event solo or as a team, but for teams, they are encouraged to have at least one member on the track at all times.
100KM Team Challenge – This category, a non-competitive walk or run, will test your mental fortitude and at the same time, the struggles of teams to complete the full 100KM symbolises the journey of those whose battles against cancer still continues.Once again, for this category too, teams have to have at least one member on the track throughout the 15-hours duration of the event.