SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - The CANSA Southern Cape Karoo region is privileged to have three special ladies - Sadiyah Moerat, Merle Singh and Lorraine Verhagen - who received prestigious global awards at the CANSA Relay For Life summit at Olifants River Lodge near Middelburg over the weekend.
Merle Singh, chair of the Garden Route Relay for Life, received the Global Spirit of Relay volunteer award which means she has been recognised as the best Relay For Life volunteer in the world.
The Garden Route Relay for Life was held at the D'Almeida Sports Ground in March this year, when it celebrated its fourth year.
"Being called up on the stage was totally unexpected. I was still congratulating one of the other winners, when I heard my name. I was so surprised, I hardly heard the rest," Singh told the Mossel Bay Advertiser this week.
Sadiyah Moerat from Mossel Bay was one of five South Africans who received the award of Global Hero of Hope.
Sadiyah, a young mother of two, who survived cancer and who was willing to share her amazing testimony, was chosen as one of the Global Heroes who inspire survivors to keep on fighting against cancer.
"Sadiyah has a powerful story. At the event, she had the audience spellbound and once she had told her story, there was not a dry eye to be seen," Singh reported.
Lorraine Verhagen from the George Herald, received the second prize for Global Spirit of Relay - Best Relay award on behalf of the George Relay which means that the George Relay hosted in the 2017/18 book year came second globally in the category, Best Relay.
Global Hero of Hope, Sadiyah Moerat.
Lorraine Verhagen, a Cansa volunteer, who works at the George Herald, received acknowledgement for hosting the second best Cansa Relay for Life event globally.
Other prizes won by the Southern Cape Karoo region, were first prize: Best Fight Back and Mission Delivery by CANSA Relay For Life Hessequa (Riversdal) and third: Most income raised by a Relay - CANSA George Relay For Life.
"I must add, however, that we don't do this for recognition. Also, without my team this would not have been achievable. I am bringing this award home to them," Singh concluded.
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