It’s 2:00 A.M. at the AIS Track and Field Centre, and over 70 people are lapping the 400 metre track. The cold air bites and the live music has ended for the night. Despite this, the atmosphere is undeniably upbeat. Teammates stroll together, others walk briskly by themselves, and some brave souls jog around the outside of the track.
Although I am exhausted from lapping on and off since 7:00 P.M., I’m sad to leave the track. The feeling of camaraderie is ever-present, and most importantly, it’s all for a very good cause.
Cancer Council’s Relay for Life began in the USA in the 1980s, before making its way to Australia in 1999. It has since become the largest fundraising event for cancer research in the world. In 2026, 39 events are being held in Australia, with over $2,200,000 already being raised.
The Cancer Council is Australia’s leading cancer charity, and all donations go towards improvement in cancer prevention, advances in treatment, advocacy, and various support services.
The 2026 ACT Relay for Life raised over $270,000, a massive contribution to the Cancer Council’s important work. With 67 teams and over 820 participants, this year’s relay was lively and successful.
The event runs from 10:00 A.M. Saturday to 10:00 A.M. Sunday, where at least one member of each team must be lapping the track at all times.
The relay begins with an opening ceremony, ends with a closing ceremony, and is punctuated halfway by the Candlelight Ceremony. This ceremony honours fighters, survivors, and carers, as well as those who have passed away due to cancer.
A slideshow is shown that pays tribute to those who are fighting or fought cancer, followed by poem readings, a bagpipe performance, a minute of silence, and a silent lap.
The ceremony is a gorgeous moment of community and reflection. I have multiple family members and family friends who’ve had cancer, so I found the ceremony quite emotional. Despite this, I also felt uplifted being surrounded so by so many people who have been impacted by cancer.
This moment solidified my admiration for the relay and the cause it supports. It is an authentic opportunity to unite and rally for yourself, your family, or your friends.
During one of my laps, I spoke to some participants from Kev’s Cancer Warriors, who discussed their team and the importance of the relay.
One teammate, Felicity, commemorated her team for showing up for their friend Kev who is currently going through a cancer journey.
“The whole crew’s turned up over the day to take a lap.”
Scott, another team member, highlighted why Relay for Life is an important event.
“It’s a great opportunity for the community to come together, raise awareness and raise funds.”
It was lovely speaking to Kev’s Cancer Warriors and witnessing the camaraderie of other teams throughout the night. The kindness of Kev’s Cancer Warriors and the sense of community made me feel welcome and motivated me to make it through the night.
This was my first year participating in the relay, and I was not sure what to expect. Similar to other relay events I have attended in the past, I thought it would be a solitary night, but I never once walked alone.
I lapped from 7:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M., the quietest hours of the event, but the track never lacked energy.
A personal highlight of the event was the Ryan’s Express Team Site, where you could donate $5 to make a chain of beads. You received a string to begin, and for every lap you could choose a bead to add to your personalised chain. Throughout the night, my teammates and I created a bead chain which symbolised every lap we completed together.
It was the small, community-spirited moments and activities like this that made this event feel so unique.
I left the relay feeling inspired and like I had made a valuable contribution to a great cause.
The people are the true heart of this event, and the community spirit was tangible, even on the freezing track at 2:00 A.M..
Whether it’s attending the next relay or making a small donation, everyone should get involved in some way.
The unity and empowerment that fundraising events like Relay for Life promote is inspirational. Not only will it be a great experience, but it’s for a great cause.
Original photos by Maddie Smith
Resources
Although events such as Relay for Life are fun and impactful, donations are needed and appreciated throughout the year.
If you’d like to make a donation to Cancer Council Australia please click here.
If you’d like to get involved and find out about other fundraising events, click here.
Every donation counts.
Good causes need communities, and communities need people. So get involved in any way you can, because any form of support will not go unnoticed.