International Relay For Life: One World - One Hope!

The American Cancer Society’s signature activity has become an international movement. International Relay For Life (IRFL) events are now held in more than 600 communities spanning 21 countries. This unique activity, designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for life-saving research and programs, unites and mobilizes community members committed to eliminating cancer.

The International Relay For Life Program enables cancer leagues around the world to increase their visibility and generate cancer awareness, outreach, and income while building survivorship, volunteerism, and advocacy efforts in their communities.

In 2009, local volunteers will organize overnight Relay For Life events to support cancer organizations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Through International Relay, survivors are given the spotlight to show that there is life after diagnosis. These “International Heroes of Hope” inspire other community members who have been touched by cancer. They are a testament to the progress that has been made in the fight against cancer and are changing the face of survivorship worldwide.  

For more information visit RelayForLife.org/international.

IRFL Organizations and Licensing

The American Cancer Society licenses International Relay For Life to international cancer organizations with community-based programs and services. These partners share our mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem through research, education, advocacy, and service. Like us, they do not focus on one type of cancer. Through continuous training and technical assistance offerings, the International Relay program supports partner organizations to ensure their successful implementation and development of the Relay For Life model.

For more information about our International Relay For Life programs email Iris Pendergast at iris.pendergast@cancer.org. For other international programs, including how to support the global fight against cancer, please send an email to international@cancer.org. For information on the American Cancer Society University, a unique international scholarship program to build capacity and cancer control in other countries, please email acsuniversity@cancer.org.

For more about the Global Fight Against Cancer, visit global.cancer.org.