run for THEIR lives

although yesterday the SURE HEBOH CARNIVAL and RELAY FOR LIFE 2008 were held at the same venue, STADIUM BUKIT JALIL, they were held at different ends of the area. yeah, the traffic was a real bitch and i totally lost my cool because while were stuck in traffic to get into parking area, my bladder decided to be on overdrive and i couldn't hold it in. so my mood was down (for awhile). we finally parked somewhere (i just decided to slot the car in wherever appropriate) and made our way to the RFL 2008 venue.

desperate for parking gone all wrong.

i HAD to snap this picture. after taking this photo op, i felt a little better, not because i didn't pity the owner, but because i think it is really really funny... kesian kan....

we immediately registered and paid rm10 (this goes to charity) each. we got t-shirts and wrist tags to mark that we were new participants for this event.

wrist tags. lookie at my veins....SCARY!

nana, yah, RED: with our brand new shirts.

after changing into our shirts, and me emptying my tensed bladder, we walked around looking at the tents that were set up, and having fun even before the event started.

yah and nana got wrist bands that were sold at the LUMINARIA tent. then we walked to the ASTRO tent where we got tattoos and had our hair all blinged up for the run. we wanted to do the face painting but the line was too long and we didn't wanna wait. there was this mannequin at the SAY NO TO TOBACCO tent with 2 glass bottles filled with cotton as lungs. i was laughing looking at it cause it looks so dumb there; posing like he was all ready for the runway but now, his cotton lungs are all messed up.

the timing was right on the dot. kudos! to the organizers. the VIPs arrived and gave their speeches. congratulatories were given out, thanks were said, doa' were recited, everything went on well.

youths participating in BELIA BENCI ROKOK poetry declamation. i think it was really creative and yeah, some of the guys with the placards, CUTE!!

cyclists that took 293 days to cycle from the northern region down to bukit jalil. their quest is to educate the people about cancer and also to bring love and hope for the survivors, their families, and also not forgetting those who have passed due to this grave illness. they look so cool. i envied them so much and wished that i could partake in this cycle relay someday in the future. shutterbugs snapping away at the cyclists.

after all the commemoration done, the relay started off by the survivors initiating the event. they were the first to be let off. they look so lively despite the fact that they were or still are bounded by the illness. it is amazing how much determination they have to make their lives better and how they appreciate life is something that we should take note from. if they can do it and stay till the end, why do people still think about being suicide? it is a weird world out there ain't it?

little cindy, a survivor. all dolled up to celebrate life.

a banner made from pictures of survivors. this banner was held all the way through the first round of the survivors walk.

finally, the supporters turn to join in the relay.

sweating after a few laps of running and continued walking.

while the relay went on, other events and activities start to take place. people were camping, having a cookout, dancing, performing, it was so FUN! it was like madigras (not that i have been to one, but really wish to go) with a good cause. although many lives were lost due to cancer, the families of the deceased did not show any remorse. infact there were only smiles that i could see.

elvis made a comeback.

words of strength and courage

bags og light: at about midnight, these bags which contain a tea candle, will be lighted to mark the people survivors and those who have passed. the bags were lined up all around the perimeter of the field and the crowd totally respected the formation and did not temper with it.

after much tawaf-ing the track, we decided to just hang and look at the bags of light and of course snapping away.....

this was given away for free by one of the sponsors. SCORE!!! on my part hehe. ok, so it is those back logged ones. at least something for me to read kan?

ma, cermin mata i patah masa i lari tu and the handle went missing cause the nana's shorts that i wore got a hole in the pocket. *hint*

next year, we are definitely coming in a TEAM and we are surely staying overnight!!