Westlife’s Shane Filan to join cancer survivors at Relay for Life

Westlife’s Shane Filan will pay tribute to his late parents alongside thousands of people from across Ireland who have been affected by cancer at a moving event in the Aviva this September. 

The singer is helping to bring a global movement, Relay for Life – which celebrates survivorship, and pays tribute to those lost to the disease – to the national stage. 

The Irish Cancer Society Celebrate & Remember event takes place at 6pm on 29th September at the Aviva stadium. Shane, who tragically lost both of his parents to cancer just nine months apart, is urging anyone affected by cancer to attend.  Speaking at the launch, Shane said

“There isn’t a family in Ireland that hasn’t been touched by cancer, with 9,000 lives taken by the disease in Ireland every year. We want to come together to stand with and celebrate the 200,000 people living with and beyond cancer across the country. The Irish Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Celebrate and Remember event is set to be a truly spectacular evening, I am so honoured to be a part of it, and I urge anyone affected by cancer to come along, take part, celebrate and pay tribute.”

Westlife’s Shane Filan is joined by cancer survivor Robyn Howell and her daughter Milani Tuite (aged 1) at the Aviva stadium to launch the Irish Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Celebrate & Remember event which takes place at the Aviva stadium on September 29th. More details at cancer.ie/aviva Picture: Andres Poveda

Averil Power, CEO Irish Cancer Society said:

“Relay for Life is the largest cancer fundraising initiative in the world, with events taking place across 29 countries each year to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost to the disease and to raise funds for cancer research and services. Our Celebrate & Remember event is the first of its kind in Ireland, where we’ll showcase the magic of Relay for Life, to stand in solidarity with every person in Ireland affected by cancer and to commemorate every life taken by cancer.”

Cancer survivor, Robyn Howell from Clondalkin in Dublin also attended the launch. Robyn was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma aged 17. Now 28, the Mum of one has joined the Relay movement to celebrate cancer survivorship. Speaking today she said

“As a cancer survivor, the Irish cancer society holds a special place in my heart. Taking part in Relay for Life is great way to come together as a community and to meet other survivors like me and hear their stories. I encourage everyone to take part in this incredible event to remember the people we have lost and to show anyone affected by cancer that they are not alone.”  

Featuring a full line-up of live entertainment and some very special guests including Irish Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Ambassador & Westlife singer, Shane Filan. Newstalk’s Andrea Gilligan will MC the event and 2FM’s Emma Power will be DJ on the night.

Participants will walk laps of the Aviva stadium in memory of those lost to cancer, and to celebrate and give hope to the estimated 200,000 cancer survivors in Ireland today. The Aviva Stadium will be lit up as the first national Candle of Hope ceremony takes place, where thousands of candle bags personalised with messages of hope and remembrance are lit in celebration of cancer survivorship and to honour loved ones lost to cancer.

There are several ways to get involved in Relay for Life Celebrate & Remember. You can take part in the event as a relay participant, or as a spectator watching from the sidelines. If you can’t make the event, you can still pay tribute by buying a candle bag, which you can personalise online or at home with your own message of hope or remembrance, these will be lit during the Candle of Hope Ceremony.

Tickets to this moving event are €15 + booking fee and available at ticketmaster.ie. Anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis themselves can join the event as a Survivor Participant and join other survivors to walk the opening lap. Tickets for ‘Survivor Participants’ are completely free. 

To buy tickets or learn more, visit cancer.ie/aviva