Cancer Survivors Share their Inspirational Stories at Relay for Life

“I am glad that I had cancer – it was God’s way of letting me share a positive story with other people.” That was the inspirational message given by Aalya Losloso, a Philippines national and cancer survivor who was participating at the UAE Relay for Life, a 24-hour cancer awareness walkathon and the first such event to be held in the MENA region.

Addressing an audience at the ‘Survivors’ Tent,’ a main feature of Relay for Life, which was held at American University Sharjah, Aayla said that positivity was something that was vitally important for those facing cancer. She also expressed her view that the support from her employer was fundamental in her personal battle with the disease.

“My advice to those who have cancer is to try not to get stressed, as the more stressed you are the more the cancer cells will multiply. I am very fortunate to be working for DHL and everyone there has supported me, my colleagues and my management, and that helped me to overcome my cancer in a short period of time. I am now nine years cancer-free. Many people with cancer or who have loved ones with cancer now come to me for advice and I feel very blessed to be in a position to help them because of my personal experience,” said Aayla.

Organised by Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP), a not-for-profit organisation that supports cancer patients and their families, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society, the first ever UAE Relay for Life commenced at 4pm on Friday and finished at the same time yesterday. Joining the inaugural lap after launching the event was Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ambassador of the International Union Against Cancer to the World Cancer Declaration and Royal Patron of FoCP.

UAE Relay for Life attracted the participation of more than 2,000 ‘relayers,’ with 67 cancer survivors taking part. In addition to telling their stories of their successful fight with cancer and the strategies they had used to defeat the disease, the survivors were honoured at the Relay for Life ‘Luminaria’ event. Taking place at 9pm, the activity saw candles lit in memory of loved ones who had been lost to cancer as well as to pay tribute to those who had survived it.

Relay for Life was conceived in 1985 when colorectal surgeon Dr. Gordy Klatt in the USA successfully raised $27,000 for his local cancer charity. Since then, it has gone on to become the largest fundraising event for cancer in the world and to date has raised more than $5 billion (AED18.3 billion) in support of cancer patients worldwide. The event now takes place in 29 countries, with the UAE the most recent addition to the global Relay for Life network.

FoCP was founded in 1999 to promote awareness about the six early detectable cancers; breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, testicular cancer and colorectal cancer. The organisation is also dedicated to providing moral and financial support to hundreds of cancer patients and their families, irrespective of their age, nationality culture or creed. FoCP has so far succeeded in providing support to more than 3,700 cancer patients in the UAE.