A giant purple seat was placed in front of City Hall yesterday as the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre prepared for its Relay for Life event this weekend.

The inflatable couch served as an invitation for people to share stories about cancer.

Azuree Williams, a Relay for Life event chairwoman, said the BCHC, which previously used a wicker couch for the talks, switched to the inflatable version “so people can feel extra comfortable”.

She added: “Sitting in the big chair is also playful to make people feel relaxed, they don’t need to feel nervous or uncomfortable, they can relax, have fun with the chair and have fun sharing their stories.

“Sometimes, sharing stories can be very emotional, so it’s important to ensure that we’re inviting the community to feel comfortable sharing their stories.”

The couch will also be at the Relay for Life event at North Field, National Sports Centre, on Friday and Saturday.

Ms Williams said about 105 teams have registered for this year’s fundraiser, exceeding the organisation’s goal of 100.

She explained: “We are hoping that folks will come for general admission, because [team] registration is closed and some people missed the deadline.

“However, we are looking for volunteers and volunteer registration is open in bermudrelay.bm until Thursday night.”

Relay for Life’s opening ceremony will take place at 6.15pm on Friday, followed by the first lap at 6.30pm.

The closing ceremony, which will reveal the amount of money raised, is scheduled to begin at midday on Saturday.

Relay for Life raises awareness and funds to support access to cancer prevention, early detection and help provided by BCHC.

It takes place for 18 hours overnight, to symbolise that cancer never sleeps.

The BCHC hopes to generate $700,000 through this year’s fundraiser, and 97 per cent of money will help the organisation provide education, prevention and radiation therapy on the island.

The remaining 3 per cent will go to the American Cancer Society’s global Relay for Life initiatives.

General admission tickets for the event are $15, or $5 for senior citizens and children under the age of 12.