The MENA region’s first ever Relay for Life concluded with a burst of positive energy on Saturday afternoon at American University Sharjah, when participants who had been walking the university’s athletics  track over the previous 24 hours undertook a final ‘Big Balloon Lap.’ The stamina of the ‘relayers’ had received a considerable boost following the event’s closing ceremony, which had highlighted the incredible efforts made by everyone involved.

More than 2,000 relayers had taken part in the 24-hour walkathon, with individuals and institutions involved including 52 schools, six universities, eight partners, 37 government and private institutions, and 67 cancer survivors. Conducted in conjunction with the American Cancer Society, the event had been organised by Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP), the not-for-profit organisation that supports cancer patients and their families.