August Activities Report / 八月份活动报告

24th August 2013

Relay For Life 2013
为生命健走 2013


Message from Station Master Madam Chan Yin Juan
站长曾宪园老师的分享：

8日24日是一个不寻常的日子。我们夫妻俩虽然不同时得癌，但都能同时活下来，今天夫妻俩都穿上白底紫花的T 恤来到Taman Timur,Dataran PJ 参加癌症协会主办的千人＂为生命健走 " （Relay For Life）。

 

 八打灵郭林气功站、蕉籁郭林气功分会、Bukit Jalil 郭林气功站、乳腺癌协会（Pink Ribbon)、前列腺癌互助团体（Prostate Cancer Support Group)及怡保、太平的癌友们都有代表纷纷参与.这次的活动最感人及最特殊之处是：癌症不分肤色、不分贫富、不分地位，大家共济一堂，彼此鼓励，互相支持。尤其是那些非癌症支持者，穿着全紫的T 恤在场外为我们打气，鼓掌欢呼。而癌症康复者都穿着白底紫花的T 恤，在乐队的带领下，举着各类布条，以井然有序的步伐在场内昂首阔步的走出生命，走出健康！

晚上主办当局为逝者举办追思，大家手中都点上蜡烛，点点的火光，代表着一线生机，为逝者悼念也为自己祝福、感恩、珍惜！

在这里更凸显出我们三大种族的和谐与团结，大家齐心协力，携手前进，有巨大的社会效应，既调动医生的积极，也调动了癌症患者及非患者的积极性，把癌症並不等于死亡的理念传播出去，鼓励癌症患者勇敢面对，积极治疗，乐观对待，走出家门，参与团体活动，根本改变了以往旧有的抗癌模式，使人类抗癌事业呈现一派勃勃生机，造成了一个种族和谐、乐观拼搏的大好局面。

 

 

Message from Sharon Wong Kwai Kiew aka Xiao Jiao

The fight against cancer got a boost on aug 24 when the Relay For Life KL took place at the Padang Timur, Dataran PJ. The field was a sea of purples and whites as thousands came to celebrate - supporters looking nifty in their specially-designed purple T-shirts and the survivors in their white T-shirts.

Over 40 members of the Guolin Qigong PJ branch turned up led by lao shi madam Chan. Proudly carrying our banner, survivors walked tall during the survivors' lap, many branishing their balloons on which was written the number of years that they had vanquished the disease (lao shi's balloon proudly shows 23 years).

Members from the Bukit Jalil branch were also present and together, survivors from all walks of life led the Survivors Lap, with supporters cheering them on at the sidelines. Friendly waves and even salutes from these caring people assured survivors that they were not alone in their fight and it was pretty touching. The air was filled with warmth and it was not just from the blazing sun. There was a sense of comradeship that bridged the gap between strangers.

There were music and songs provided by a band and while friends took the opportunity to catch up, strangers also got together to chat and dance. All it took was one person to start the ball rolling before several members of our group got caught in the groove and joined a group who were dancing nearby.

Food and drinks were available and there were even stalls set up with games carering to the kids, and there was even a temporary tattoo stall for the more adventurous. There were also kids selling cookies they baked themselves (with some adult help, of course) and they were too cute to resist.

The event was to celebrate life but loved ones who had succumbed to the disease or who are currently fighting it were not forgotten. The highlight of the evening was the luminaria ceremony whereby you purchase a liminaria bag and decorate it with a personal message and place it along the track to be lit up during the ceremony.

The event was held from 6pm on the 24th and went on till 10am the next day. Many rented a tent or brought their own so that they could hold vigil throughout the night.

Relay for life is organised by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia to raise funds to decrease the incidence of cancer on malaysia. It is a community-based effort to raise awareness over 16 hours while engaging in various activities throughout the event.

Relay For Life currently runs in 22 countires worldwide. All contributions and donations are used to continue funding the many subsidised services at their five centres and outreach cancer awareness and education programmes.