Relay for Life, the 24-hour multidisciplinary relay and cancer fundraising event is set to return to Sharjah for its third edition in the MENA region on 10th December 2022. Energy is building as people get ready to participate in this life-giving experience in aid of fighting against cancer and raising awareness. The 24-hour relay organised by Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) in collaboration with the American Cancer Society.

This initiative sets the pace as the largest cancer fundraising event in the world, and assists patients and their families at all stages of overcoming the condition. The fundraiser also serves to create awareness and serves as a support community for all involved in defeating the disease.

The event will take place this year at Kshisha Park in Al Rahmaniyah, Sharjah at 4pm.

Relayers are encouraged to pledge their support by registering on the website to get involved and for all those around the world that want to support now or any other time in the year, they can find a donations link on the website too. Each and every registration will directly help change the lives of cancer patients, survivors, as well as caregivers as 100% of proceeds go towards them. Registering and pledging support has been made easy through the website at https://relayforlife.evsreg.com/.

Aisha Al-Mulla, Director of FOCP, commented on the upcoming 24-hour event saying, “At FOCP we are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of cancer patients, survivors, care-givers and supporters as well as advocating to raise awareness about this cause and we believe this will be our biggest Relay for Life to date. This is a chance for everybody in the UAE, as well as around the globe, to join our community and get involved to support people who are battling cancer.”

The Director added, “This fundraising event enables people to give their support whether they attend in person or engage remotely which makes it accessible and our goals all that more achievable.”  

The first Relay for Life was organised in the USA back in 1985 by a colorectal surgeon Dr. Gordy Klatt, who raised $27,000 for his local cancer charity. Since then the event has been adopted by the American Cancer Society and has gone on to become the largest fundraising event for cancer in the world.

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