Locals Walk, Run and Jog for a Cure at the Aliso Viejo Relay for Life

Some walked for a father, a cousin or a great grandmother.

Some walked for themselves.

But they all walked for a cure.

The Aliso Viejo Relay for Life drew hundreds of people—eager to continue the fight against cancer—to Grand Park on Saturday and Sunday.

The event, which raises funds for the American Cancer Society, lasts 24 hours and was scheduled to end 10 a.m. Sunday.

Aliso Viejo Mayor Carmen Cave spoke during opening ceremonies and encouraged the walkers to keep up the fight.

“Let’s beat it,” she said “Let’s find the cure.”

She also had a request for attendees after they finish this year’s relay.

“Tell three other people about your experience,” Cave said. “(Next year) we don’t just want to double (attendance). We want to quadruple it.”

Volunteers created teams, camped out on the grass and took turns running/walking/jogging around a painted track.  The goal is have at least one team member on the track at all times.

People earn donations in a number of ways including per lap, per mile or in a lump sum.

The Relay for Life began in 1985 when Doctor Gordy Klatt, a surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Since then, according to the Society’s website, every year more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States and communities in 19 other countries, participate in the event.

At the Aliso Viejo Relay, many of the walkers had someone close to them who had had survived, or was the victim of cancer. 

James Buttery, an Aliso Viejo Carpenter, said his father fought for two years before losing the battle with lung cancer.

Rizza Rosete, walking with her fiancé, her soon-to-be-parents-in-law and her daughter, said she lost both her parents to cancer.  

Rosete said July 16 would have been her mother’s birthday.

Aliso Viejo resident Eileen Sanvictores walked for her friends—and herself.  

A preschool teacher, Sanvictores has battled the disease on and off ever since she learned she had breast cancer in the late 90s.

 “This is my life for the past 15 years, but it’s OK,” Sanvictores said, and added that her faith in God had helped her through it so far.   

Kelly Silva, who works for Sequoia Equity—a real estate investment firm that had five teams in the relay—honored her grandmother, a cancer survivor.

Silva said this was her second experience with the relay, and it wouldn’t be her last.

“Last year was my first year and it touched me…and now I’m going to do it every year,” Silva said.  

Event organizers said they weren’t certain, but that it was most likely the 10th year of the event in the city.

Karol Givens, event coordinator of the Aliso Viejo Relay, said she hopes for at least 1,000 people to participate.

There were 18 teams, according to Givens, which raised more than $40,000 so far, according to the event website.

The Aliso Viejo event began with opening ceremonies that included the pledge of allegiance, welcome speeches and a familiar song from children in an attendance.

The song? Happy Birthday. (Because, if cancer is defeated, millions of people will have many more celebrations.)

After opening ceremonies, organizers held a Survivor Lap, where those who fought cancer and won, took a stroll around the painted track.

The event also included a dunk tank, a live band called the Sailors of Neptune, free food and facepainting.

If you took pictures at the event, please make sure to send us some.