By CASEY NEILL
FIONA Sherlock and her daughter Poppi, 9, will walk through the night to remember loved ones lost to cancer and raise funds to beat the disease.
Greater Dandenong Relay for Life will be held at Ross Reserve in Noble Park, from 4pm on Saturday 11 October to 10am on Sunday 12 October.
Their first relay was in 2012, with their team the Dingley Dawdlers.
“Initially the motivation was from grief and raw emotion, having lost my husband and Poppi’s dad Jason in February of that year to an aggressive and fast-moving brain tumour,” Ms Sherlock said.
“Jase was ill for only 18 months, and during this time our entire life was turned upside down.”
The Dingley Dawdlers are all school mums with children in the same year level as Poppi.
“It’s a very caring and generous group who are extremely supportive of Poppi and I in so many ways,” Ms Sherlock said.
“In our year level of about 80 children, and since Prep there have been three deaths – one dad, one mum and a little three-year-old girl, sister of one of Poppi’s friends.
“It almost felt like we had an obligation to join Relay for Life to highlight their plight and to provide a ‘real’ way to remember them all, together.”
They relayed again in May last year, and Ms Sherlock is the organising committee chairwoman for this year’s event.
“The camaraderie of having friends and family in close confines walking together for such a wonderful cause, sharing memories, and making some money for research and important things like breast care nurses etcetera – what more could you ask for?” she said.
Greater Dandenong Relay for Life is looking for more teams, and donations for showbags.
To get involved, contact Elyce Carlyle on 9514 6534 or 0409 153 254, or Fiona Sherlock on 9551 6707, 0432 951 790 or jasfipop@exemail.com.au.
Visit relayforlife.org.au to donate to the Dingley Dawdlers.
