The rain and cold did not stop 60 teams from participating in Relay for Life on Friday night through early Saturday morning.
Molly Beck, co-chair of Relay for Life, said there was a good turnout despite the rain.
"People are here to fight back," she said. "It's positive and uplifting that we can be here to support each other."
Teams of 10 to 20 students were on site for 18 hours, with a team member on the track surround LaFollette Field at all times.
Relay for Life is an overnight charity event held throughout the United States to celebrate cancer survivors, remember people lost to cancer and promote cancer awareness. According to the American Cancer Society's website, since the beginning of the event in 1985, more than $2.7 billion has been raised for the American Cancer Society.
Eric Furry, president of Relay for Life, said the event shows the challenges people go through while battling cancer because they are up all night dealing with the cold, but it is all for a good cause.
"It really makes you think about people that have passed and survivors
of cancer," he said.
Beck said one way participants raised money was to sell luminaria bags, she said.
The small, white paper bags are decorated and dedicated to a person who died from cancer or to celebrate the life of a survivor. At the Luminaria Ceremony, participants place a candle in the center of bag and read from a list of people's names affected by cancer.
Relay for Life also had booths for advocacy, information and survivors. Participants enjoyed live music, radio from WCRD and games that kept them moving all night.
Allie Hershman, freshman and life science major, said she came to Relay for Life because her grandmother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
"It really hits home," she said. "It raises awareness for something that affects everyone."
Some facts:
Today, more than 70 percent of all children diagnosed with cancer survive five years from their date of diagnoses. Before the 1970s, it was less than half that.
Death rate for all forms of cancer combined has steadily decreased since the early 1990s.
One out of every 100 Americans participates in Relay for Life.
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