Editorial: Purple brings us all together

OPINION: This weekend we're going purple.

The Relay for Life, which begins today at Massey Teachers College in Palmerston North, is celebrating its 10th birthday. This fantastic event, held to raise funds for cancer research, has become a local institution that lays bare the true spirit of this community one weekend each year.

It is an occasion that is at once joyous and uplifting, sombre and sacred. The relay brings people together from all walks of life in a common cause simply because people from all walks of life have been touched by the insidious tentacles of this most vicious of diseases.

The colour purple has come to symbolise the relay's fight against cancer, so today the Manawatu Standard has abandoned its traditional green masthead to show our support of the cause. And, after I (somewhat foolishly) made an all-too-public pledge to dye my hair purple for the relay, the good people at Spectra hair salon happily ensured I followed through.

We've been able to chronicle just a handful of inspiring stories in the week leading up to the relay; the event itself will see many hundreds more shared as people gather to celebrate those who have beaten cancer, and remember those who succumbed.

In the face of such a daunting disease, it would be easy to be overcome with hopelessness, to resign ourselves to the indiscriminate cruelty that has taken such a harrowing toll on so many people and their families.

This weekend is our way of saying we refuse to abandon hope. It's our way of saying that, if we pull together, we can achieve something significant in the ongoing battle to improve cancer treatment. In the process, the bonds that hold this community together become stronger. This weekend should be a reminder to us all of why this region is such a great place to live.

People here support each other, and that spirit of caring and cooperation is never stronger than during the few weeks leading up to the Relay for Life.

Businesses have been fundraising, holding all sorts of events to raise cash; friends and family have sponsored relay participants, and organisers have been working furiously to ensure the event goes smoothly.

If you're at the relay this weekend, enjoy the moment and best of luck as you make your way around the track. To everyone else, take the time to wander along – it's a perfect opportunity to see this community at its best.On Thursday, family and friends of Palmerston North woman Louise Bare laid her to rest after she lost a long battle with cancer. Lou personified courage and grace in the face of a struggle that has understandably broken the spirit of so many others. She was a wonderfully vibrant young woman, full of life, laughter and a charisma that drew people towards her. Lou's story is special to all those close to her, yet similar to the same sad experience shared by countless others. She will be missed.

- © Fairfax NZ News