# Cancer Relay event marks 10 year €4.4 million milestone

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/01/22/cancer-relay-event-marks-10-year-e4-4m-milestone/
- Published: 2019-01-22T07:18:59+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) is celebrating 10 years of its Relay for Life fundraising
event which has raised €4.4 million for the charity.**

Relay For Life is a 24 hour community event that celebrates the lives of cancer 
survivors, remembers those lost to the disease and encourages people to fight back
by raising awareness of cancer and funding vital research and support services of
ICS.

[Relay For Life](http://www.cancer.ie/relayforlife) first began in Ireland in 2009
and since then 25 communities across the country have hosted close to 100 relay 
events, raising over €4.4m between them. This money has been invested in cancer 
research projects and a range of free support services to help those affected by
cancer.

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At Relay, teams of family members and friends commit to having at least one team
member walking around a track at all times. The Relay is typically accompanied by
community events and entertainment.

Relay For Life started in the 1980s and was created by the American Cancer Society.
In recent years the concept has gone global and Relay For Life events are now held
in more than 20 countries around the world.

Averil Power, Chief Executive of the [Irish Cancer Society](http://www.cancer.ie),
said, “The incredible achievement of those who have participated in Relay For Life
over the last decade has contributed greatly to the fight against cancer.”

In 2017 ICS had an income of nearly €27 million, 95% of which came from fundraising.
The 2017 figure was a considerable increase on the year before (€23 million in 2016)
due mainly to an exceptional gain in legacy income which went from €3.5 million 
to €8.8 million.

 * **[Legacy income boosts charity income](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/09/24/legacy-income-boosts-charity-income/)**(
   24 September 2019)
 * **[Multichannel campaign brings in £1.25 million for Children with Cancer UK](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/03/10/multichannel-campaign-brings-in-1-25m-for-children-with-cancer-uk/)**(
   10 March 2020)
 * **[Terry Fox Run returns to London after 14 year absence](https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/09/28/terry-fox-run-returns-to-london-after-14-year-absence/)**(
   28 September 2021)

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