St. Anne students take up fight against cancer

Rarely does the gymnasium at St. Anne Catholic Elementary School in Hanmer echo the sound of silence, but on Friday, May 9 at 12:45 p.m., it did just that.

More than 370 students entered in quiet reverence, mesmerized by the flickering light of hundreds of luminaries lined up along the front of the gym, for the first annual Relay for Life.

This was the perfect ending to the day, which began with a noisy pep rally and survivor victory lap around the schoolyard. Children lined up and cheered the many survivors who attended the event.

The students and staff remembered their loved ones who lost their battle with cancer. They also celebrated those who continue to fight with dignity and hope.

The St. Anne Angels from Sudbury Catholic Schools raised more than $10,700.

“I thought it was amazing to see how many survivors showed up and walked,” Grade 5 student Avalon Gilbert. “It was so beautiful and touching My dad would have been so proud to see the survivors walking — he died from cancer in December.”

St. Anne Catholic School truly demonstrated what community spirit is all about by coming together to fundraising for such a great cause.