Craig Kuncio gets excited when someone mentions the Nowra/Shoalhaven Relay for Life to him.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The well-known local resident is proud to support this Cancer Council event.
Craig’s own cancer journey has been a long one but the relay has always been his beacon of hope.
“The first things that come to my mind about the relay is catching up with people, sharing good memories and stories,” he said.
“The first lap for all the survivors is the best lap. The last lap is great as well and I like the laps at 2am to 3am in the morning when the kids are running around saying how buggered they are.”
Mr Kuncio said support from so many young people was one of the special parts of the relay.
This year’s Nowra/Shoalhaven Relay for Life starts tomorrow morning (Saturday, March 24) at the Nowra Showground and goes for 24 hours.
No matter how down you get, you go to Relay for Life and you come back home and think ‘yep I can survive and go on again’.
- Craig Kuncio
Mr Kuncio attended the first relay in 2001 with his children Lauren and Nic, who used to go up to Cambewarra Public.
On the relay eve, he would speak at the school assembly, telling the students what Relay for Life meant.
“For me, as someone dealing and going through cancer, it was good to see the younger generation turn around and embrace the relay,” he said.
His relay connection remains strong and he loves the event.
“I have not been involved in any better event than that (the relay). I have played football, cricket, been away with a lot of representative teams and Relay for Life is just great,” he said.
“No matter how down you get, you go to Relay for Life and you come back home and think ‘yep I can survive and go on again’.”
He was diagnosed with bowel cancer seven years ago, at just 39 years of age.
“It frightened the daylights out of me and it’s a very hard thing to deal with - I still seriously struggle with it now,” he said.
Mr Kuncio firmly believes the community should support the relay.
He added, thanks to support from the relay, the Shoalhaven got its modern cancer care facility.
“It means we don't have to travel to get our treatment and we get the best of care at our doorstep,” he said.
“Without the support from the community that fantastic facility would not be there.”
He knows cancer’s tentacles attack many people in the Shoalhaven.
“I can walk down the main street of Nowra right now and I can guarantee you that I would run into at least two people that have been touched or are dealing with some form of cancer and that is just in the main street of Nowra,” he said.
People can still sign up to be part of the relay or can just come up to the showground from Saturday morning and soak up the positive atmosphere.
The opening ceremony starts at 9.15am.
Entertainment program
9.15am Opening Ceremony.
10am Dancers on Parade.
11am The Spencer Family Band.
11.45amTrudy Saunders-Trindall.
12.15pm AMTC..Mary Poppins.
12.45pm Chloe Hadley.
1.15pm Drummers.
2pm Cameron Fernie.
3pm Layney and Friends.
4pm Joe Visser.
5pm Food of Love Choir.
5.45pm Trilogy.
6.45pm Ceremony of Hope.
7.30pm Annie And The Guns.
9pm Chalkie White.
10.30pm Noise Curfew.
RELATED: More about the relay