In the mid-80s, a doctor named Gordy Klatt set out on a mission to raise funds for his local cancer society in the U.S. He ran around a local track for 24 hours straight and ultimately raised $27,000. Decades later, the event has spread worldwide, and last night it happened in Jamaica. The idea is that teams from different corporations and organizations walk around a track to raise funds. Some stay all night. I arrived at about 8:00 and left a couple of hours later.

There were dozens of organizations that had set up tents and a stage with many performers. We caught a reggae band and a few young performers, including one young woman who wrote an impressive song about her mother’s death as a result of cancer. It was both a festive and sombre night. The most arresting image was the track, which was lined with paper bags, upon which was written the name of a person who had lost the fight with cancer. There was a Luminaria Ceremonial lighting of these candles, as well as a beautiful prayer and song. There are few people who have not been affected by cancer, and activities such as last night’s bring home the reality of the situation. Many faces were damp with tears last night, and many people were seen comforting one another. Let’s hope the event raised a lot of money for research.