Start decorating your shop windows, because Purple Week is coming.

Lismore is going purple for cancer on February 17 and your business could win the inaugural Purple Week trophy from the Cancer Council.

Today, Tuesday, February 4, is World Cancer Day and Lismore & Villages Relay For Life committee chair Leanne Thompson is calling on local businesses to help with promoting the annual Cancer Council Relay For Life fundraiser in March. 

“Purple Week is about raising awareness and having fun,” she said.

“For the week of February 17 to 23, we are asking Lismore businesses to decorate their shop windows purple and help get the message out about the event on March 28 and 29.

“It’s important that we get the community involved in attending the event and raise money and awareness of the services the Cancer Council makes available in the local area – like the free Cancer Council Information Service at St Vincent’s Hospital, the free Transport to Treatment service assisting local people getting to appointments and free financial and legal assistance to local patients.

Already, 40 businesses have registered for Purple Week, but Leanne wants to see more involved.

“If you register your with us, you can be in the running to win the Purple Week trophy,” Leanne said. “The best dressed window wins.

“You can also decorate your window without registering, but you won’t be in the draw to win the coveted trophy.”

Managing pharmacist Dan O’Connell of Chempro on Woodlark Street was the first to register his business to go purple.

“It’s good to be involved,” Dan said. “We are a community pharmacy and it’s a great program to be on board with,” he said.

Leanne said the boys at The Boys Hair and Makeup are already planning how the window their will be dressed, but it’s still a secret. The Library is on board too, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Lismore Shopping Square.

If you register, the Purple Week team will deliver a kit to you with purple streamers, balloons and posters - and Relay For Life shirts can be borrowed to put up in the windows as decorations.

“We are also encouraging businesses to hold a workplace fundraiser that week to assist us raise the vital funds needed to continue to provide essential Cancer Council services to our local community,” Leanne said. “You can hold an office morning tea, a team BBQ, a dress-up day or have donation boxes in your business during this time.”

The Lismore & Villages Relay will be held at Southern Cross University, Lismore Campus and will feature entertainment while the Lismore community celebrates, remembers and fights back against cancer. For more information, visit

http://www.cancercouncil.org.au/lismorerelay

To register your business for Purple Week, contact Leanne on 0419 695 636 or Erin on 0490 912 323.

Read more: Cancer doesn't rest: Relay for Life calls you