THE insidious, far-reaching tentacles of cancer touch everyone in some way or another and this weekend’s local Relay for Life is a place where carers and survivors can remember those lost and also support those left behind.
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Now known as the Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter Relay for Life, this year’s focus is personal experiences and joining together to share stories to inspire and comfort others dealing with loss and grief.
Denman’s Doreen Ayre is the event’s “face of relay”, which means she will share her story with everyone at the Muswellbrook Showground on Saturday.
Mrs Ayre is grateful she will turn 70 this year after being told in 2003 she had bowel cancer.
“It’s been 15 years since I was first diagnosed and I’ve been very lucky, touch wood,” she said.
“My father passed away at age 53 from bowel cancer but my diagnosis was still a bit of a shock.
“Because of that history the doctors were straight onto it.
“The hardest thing was to tell my mum about it.”
After seeing a specialist at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, Mrs Ayre’s treatment involved six weeks of chemotherapy, spending a day a week in Muswellbrook District Hospital.
“I hated that day, the chemo made me feel sick but luckily I didn’t lose my hair like others did,” she explained.
Mrs Ayre said four of nine members of her immediate family, her six siblings and two parents, had been diagnosed with different types of cancer.
Fellow Relay for Life committee member Jeanette Travers has been involved with the event for six years.
Two of her sisters in England passed away from cancer.
Both women say the relay is quite an emotional time but there is a lot of camaraderie in the atmosphere.
“There’s a lot love evident at the relay,” Ms Travers said.
To quote a friend, it’s not necessarily the physical care you give someone, even if it’s just popping in to see how someone is, or simply making a phone call, that goes a long way to support someone.
- Jeanette Travers
“That’s one of the reasons we’re concentrating on carers in 2018.”
This weekend will mark Mrs Ayre’s fourth year of involvement with the relay but it’s the first time the event will take place at Muswellbrook Showground.
“It’s in a more central place so hopefully people will just drop in and show their support, especially as there are stalls and activities for kids and fireworks at 9pm,” Mrs Ayre said.
The Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter Relay for Life committee members encourage people to drop into the showground from 10am to 10pm on Saturday.
For more details on the relay see our previous stories: Everything’s locked in and New look, new date.
