Updated | Rain bucketed down, but they walked through the night...lap after lap

The rain bucketed down at times during the night, but still they walked...lap after lap.

"What would make you want to come out in this, walk around the track and get wet?" asked Rod Coy amid another downpour as the 23rd Sutherland Shire Relay for Life wrapped up at Don Lucas Reserve, Wanda on Sunday morning.

"It's the best part of human nature, the goodness that is in people."

Mr Coy and co-chairman of the volunteer committee Glenn Nicholas are amazed at how many people have braved the wet conditions to walk in memory of loved ones whose lives have been taken by cancer, support those fighting it and raise funds for research.

"It's ridiculous - we had 4000 to 5000 people come through yesterday and a large number stayed overnight. We are blown away.

"About 12.30 this morning, I walked around and there were rivers - not just puddles - flowing all the way down the back straight.

"We had young people from a lot of schools, and the water was rushing past them.

"We have already raised more $300,000, which is unbelievable given the conditions."

Earlier

Children battling cancer feature in the 23rd Sutherland Shire Relay for Life, which began this morning under grey skies and with impending heavy rain.

Hundreds of people gathered at Don Lucas Reserve for the 24-hour event in which participants walk in teams or as individuals to remember loved ones, support those on the cancer journey and raise funds for research.

Because of the rain, a 50-metre long mess tent, catering for about 500 people, was in place.

Co-chairman of the 50-strong volunteer committee Rod Coy, told participants they were in for "an adventure".

"We don't know what's going to happen, but we do know we have this great big tent for our banquet and our candlelight ceremony tonight," he said.

Coen Drysdale, a kindergarten pupil at Laguna Street Public School, with his mother Amanda, cut the ceremonial ribbon before leading the traditional first lap walked by cancer survivors and carers.

Ms Drysdale said Coen was 18-months-old when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and underwent radiation in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown.

"[The result] was all good, but in July last year, it came back and we started all over again with radiation and surgery," she said.

"We got the all-clear in February and are monitoring."

The candlelight ceremony this evening will include a video telling of the journey of Kamm Deininger, 15, of Bonnet Bay.

Kamm was born on Anzac Day, and has shown bravery equal to that of those after whom the day was named. His battle continues while he attends Jannali High School.

His father Rob told the Leader Kamm was in kindergarten at Sutherland North Public School when, just before Easter in 2015, he was diagnosed with Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

Kamm has a rare form of ALL, acute Philadelphia positive, which is hard to treat.

Rob talks in the video of the support the family has been given by so many people in the community, starting with other mothers at school and many other people along the way.

Kamm's journey was greatly assisted by his sister Erin, who was only eight when she donated bone marrow to her brother.

Rob said the challenges had been many.

"When Kamm had the bone marrow transplant, he was isolated in hospital for a long time, there was a lot of pain involved, pretty intense treatment as well," he said.

"Covid was an extra hurdle when he was in hospital.

"For us, it has been quite long, I don't remember anything but this, but the main theme in the video is the support we have received from so many people and the Sydney Children's Hospital.

"We live in a good place."

Among those walking or supporting the event today were Gloria and Alexis Scott, of Miranda, carrying one of the oldest banners, "Netty Girls" in memory of their niece and cousin Erica Smith.

Members of Erica's netball team formed the team after her death.

Another participant was Alison Todd, of Caringbah, a volunteer with the Cancer Council for 34 years, who started selling daffodils for a gold coin donation and has been involved from the start with the shire Relay for Life.

"My husband Noel died from Non-Hodgkin lymphoma," she said. "We were in our 30s with two young children, and it was a very short time, six months.

"With the fund-raising since then, so many people survive cancer and go on to live good lives. None of that was there 33 years ago."

Mrs Todd was wearing a hat adorned with with crocheted daffodils. "They are a symbol of hope, and that's what I believe, that one day we will have a cancer-free society," she said.

Natalie Sykes, a teacher at Aquinas College Menai, was meeting up with Year 12 students who have been fund-raising for the event and walking at various times during the day.

Tanya Bishara, of Gymea Bay, captained the Hydroflux Hotfoots, formed by a shire-based engineering company.

"We started the team about five years after a lunch conversation on the 10-year-anniversary of my dad's passing," she said.

"I said, 'I really want to do this, the company got behind me and we raised nearly $17,000 the first time and $18,000 last year. We have lot of people in our company affected directly or indirectly."

David Kadir, of Sylvania, who was diagnosed with cancer in November last year, and is "doing well thanks to great surgeons and a medical team", was another taking part.

Kathy Papakostas and daughter Danielle, of Bangor were part of the Blue's Clews team.

"My brother Christopher was born with cancer and his favourite show now is Blue's Clews," Danielle said.

"He has disability, but has been in remission for 22 years and is still going strong."