Family's steps of courage

STEPPING OUT: Relay for Life participants Gaile Wellard and her son Denny, of Redbank Plains.

David Nielsen

THE Wellard family rallied around matriarch Gaile Wellard during her two battles with breast cancer.

They will rally together yet again to support the Cancer Council's Ipswich Relay for Life next month.

Redbank Plains woman Gaile Wellard wants to celebrate the strength of her family as well as raise awareness about the disease at the March event.

Mrs Wellard said her two sons - including new Ipswich Relay for Life chairman Denny - and her extended family had helped her through two cases of breast cancer.

"Having a family like this is a great support, and it's definitely brought us closer together," Ms Wellard said.

"I've had two cancerous lumps removed since about 2006, and I just got the all-clear on a third one that I was worried about.

"We've had a run of bad luck. As well as battling breast cancer my house was flooded last year, and I had to move, and we had a house burn down a few years ago."

Despite the cancer scares, Ms Wellard said she felt like "one of the lucky ones," and hoped to help

those in greater need by taking part in the event.

"Cancer affects all sorts of people and you can never know if it will or if it won't touch someone you love, and I think the Relay is about supporting families who have been affected by cancer as well as the individual sufferers."

Mr Wellard said he wanted to chair the event because it struck a chord with him.

"We're very familiar with how much of an impact cancer can have on people," Mr Wellard said.

"I was interested in the event as soon as I saw the position advertised, but now ... I'm starting to realise how big it really is."

This is the first year the family will take part in the Relay.

"We've got about eight people signed up at the moment, including both my boys and my little granddaughter, but we're pressuring more people to join," Mrs Wellard said.

They chose to name their family team "Team Bling," after what Mr Wellard said was one of his mum's greatest passions.

Mr Wellard encouraged others to register a team for the Relay by visiting http://www.relayforlife.org.au.

The Ipswich Relay for Life will run from 3pm Saturday, March 24, to 9am Sunday, March 25.