In 2016 there will be an estimated 1,685,210 new cancer cases in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Multiple charities are in place to help raise funds for cancer  research, including Relay for Life.

On Saturday, April 23, Rockwood Summit will be the venue for Relay for Life, a relay race to raise funds  for  cancer research.

“Everyone has some kind of connection to cancer, which is why we invite everyone out to join Relay for Life with us,” Lauren Schweiss, Community Manager for Income Development for the American Cancer Society, said

For this year the Relay for Life committee is aiming to get 50 schools in the area to participate, hoping to also raise $90,000, according to Schweiss.

“It truly is a one of a kind experience that I encourage everyone who has been touched by cancer to be a part of,” she said.

The event will feature a luminaria ceremony as well as the presence of many cancer survivors, who will walk the first lap of the relay.

“Seeing the survivors walk the first lap is an amazing sight,” Schweiss said

After some years of inactivity in this event, MHS will have a team participating, captained by Caylyn Powell, junior.

“My aunt died from breast cancer on the second to last day of fourth grade and my grandpa had lung cancer,” she said. “I won’t pretend to understand what a cancer patient has to go through, but I have seen the strain that it puts on them, and I want to help,”

She also stressed that it has been some time since MHS has had a team participating, since the previous team “died out”.

The event begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m. the next day to symbolize the continuous struggle cancer patients go through every day, though participants are free to leave as they please. Participating in the actual event is free, but donations are encouraged.

“The reason that the relay is 12 hours long is to take somebody through the struggle that a cancer patient would have,” Powell said. “It starts out, ‘okay this will get better, it’s not too bad’ then, once it starts getting later in the night it’s getting closer to ‘okay i’m tired and I want this to be done’ and once you’re finally finished with it in the morning it’s signifying surviving it.’”

As of now the team consists of three members, including Powell, Ragan Ingli,sophomore, and  Ashley Harness, Junior . Sign ups are done online through the relay for life website, there is no limit to how many people can sign up, and they end on the actual day of the event.

The group members all have different reasons for joining this event, some have had family affected by cancer themselves.

“My family has been touched with cancer and I want to give back and just join [Relay for Life],” Ingli, said

Whether touched by cancer or not, team members see this as a great opportunity to fight against something that has touched so many others in the community.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to understand and raise money for cancer research,” Harness said.