‘Relais pour la Vie’ organised by the Luxembourg Cancer Foundation took place this weekend at the Coque. This year over 235 teams participated in the 24 hour event including 2 from St George’s International School. The two teams were made up of 53 walkers in total including the 16 courageous students and 3 staff who covered the night shift from 11pm to 6am.

The Opening Ceremony was remarkable as always; the Grand Duchess, Maria Teresa opened the event, and then the sponsors and foundation staff presented 200 cancer survivor participants with an orange rose as they took to the track. The survivors showed solidarity starting the event by walking the first lap. Then everyone was invited onto the track to walk a lap with team banners before the first member from each team officially started.

For a 24 hour period each team was committed to having a team member on the track at all times. The change of member took place like a relay race, passing the team number at the side of the track to the next walker. At 5pm on Sunday afternoon the candlelit ceremony took place and everyone who had bought and decorated a bag had their candle lit inside the bag, the window shutters came down and all the walkers stopped and held a 3 minute silence to honour cancer patients and in memory of loved ones.

Live entertainment of music and dance displays took place during daylight hours, and a DJ provided music all night. The atmosphere was fantastic as always and St George’s already have volunteers who want to repeat the experience next year!