Melissa Vining and her late husband Blair Vining, from Winton, shone a light on the need for better cancer care when Blair was struck down with the illness.
Melissa, who is a trustee of the charity hospital board, said fundraising initiatives that people continued to come up with was making the hospital project possible.
Blair had learned to drive a tractor on a Massey Ferguson, she told the crowd of people before the tractor trek began.
“He will be looking down today, smiling, probably wanting to participate.”
One of the drivers, Tom Parkes, said he had always wanted to do something for the charity hospital as the service was needed in Invercargill.