The most recent Relay for Life event was held at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park on Oct. 7. Relay for Life is a community-run fundraiser set up by the American Cancer Society.

Every year in over 20 countries, more than 5,000 communities participate. They aim to fund cancer research, provide for patient care programs, and raise awareness while educating about cancer prevention. They encourage the community to celebrate, remember, and fight back.

One of the ways they convey their message is through Luminarias. Luminarias offer a chance for people to give a donation, which was set as $10 this year. In return, you can decorate a white paper bag with encouraging messages for those battling or in remembrance for those who have passed away. These bags are lined along the event and are then lit with small electric candles inside. For a short amount of time in the evening, the participants walked along in silence.

Kayla Toth (11) said, “I appreciated the opportunity to celebrate the ones who beat cancer, supporting those fighting, and remembering those who lost the battle.”