Country: Sweden

RFL partner since: 2025

Relay For Life Sweden launched its very first event on September 5–6, 2025, in the harbor area of the beautiful coastal town of Västervik.

For this premiere, we aimed to gather around 300 participants, 15–20 teams, and raise 400,000 SEK. We’re proud to say we exceeded every goal. More than 600 participants joined, forming 28 teams, and together they raised over 400,000 SEK.

The event generated strong local engagement, resulting in 21 media articles – including three powerful stories highlighting cancer fighters. At its heart, the event focused on “connection and hope,” brought to life through meaningful ceremonies and the Relay itself. One standout moment was the children’s relay, which created a truly special sense of community.

As one participant shared: “It’s not just me who is affected – my children are too.”– Maria, Västervik, 2025

We are now preparing to grow Relay For Life in Sweden, with three events planned for this fall in Västervik, Kristianstad, and Karlskoga. An exciting journey has just begun.

One unique aspect of Relay For Life Sweden is our structure as a national organization without local offices. This means that Relay becomes a powerful opportunity for us to meet people where they are – in their own communities.

At each event, Cancerfonden is present on-site with our own tent, staffed by highly experienced oncology and palliative care nurses. Here, participants and visitors can ask questions, seek guidance, and have open, meaningful conversations about cancer.

We also offer hands-on educational elements, such as breast and testicular models that help people learn how to detect potential tumors early. This combination of knowledge, accessibility, and human connection brings an added layer to the Relay experience in Sweden.

For us, Relay is not only about coming together – it’s also about bringing trusted knowledge and support directly to the people.