Photo Gallery: Relay Recognizes Lives Touched By Cancer

When Jose Montano, 11, was contacted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, instead of asking for something for himself, he asked that his classmates at Berry Elementary School get a new playground.

On Thursday he finished chemotherapy and on Saturday he spent more than 12 hours at Mar Vista High School for Relay for Life.

If he wasn't there, he probably would have been outside playing, he said, but eight members of his family and Montano felt it was too important to be there.

"I walked 13 laps," he said. "It's for people who have been through cancer."

More than 100 people and 21 teams took part in the annual effort to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and celebrate the lives of cancer victims and survivors.

Tents dotted the stadium infield as people prepared to spend the night for the 24-hour event that ends Sunday at 10 a.m.

Raffles were held, and 14 bands performed and every hour new themes begin for the walkathon.

As day turned to night and the Luminaria ceremony began, all lights were turned out so the only light to  be seen came from hundreds of candles inside bags surrounding the field. On most of the bags was the name of a lost family member or friend written by the teams.

Before the crowd walked the track together, they heard from Karan Fitch. Her life changed when her husband was told by his doctor to cancel a family vacation in order for him to perform additional tests.

"That was in November 2011. From there our world was a roller coaster that wouldn't stop and not even slow down," she said.

Two weeks later his arm broke, then his leg, then came a wheelchair, chemo and hospital stays.

He would pass away four months after diagnosis.

Peggy Osterhout also spoke, the event's Hero of Hope, a title given to people whose very existence inspires hope.

Osterhout lost her brother, dad, son-in-law and cousin to cancer.

All that loss made her sad, heartbroken and angry and her anger was converted into action for Relay for Life. After three years doing relay, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

After three years of involvement with Relay for Life she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"I couldn't believe this was happening to my family again," she said. "I was the only family member that survived out of five people I know there was a reason for that I'm convinced of it. I'm convinced that God chose me to continue my work with ACS and Relay."

"He chose me to keep fighting for my family and the families I've meet through ACS and Relay," she said.

Mourn and shed a tear for them, she said, but keep fighting.

Joanna Gephart lost her grandmother to cancer two years ago and helped provide music Saturday. After participants walked the track and the lights were still out, she began to cry on her mother's shoulder.

"She's been tough the whole night through but the bagpipes got to her," her father Beto said.

Rob McKnight, who played the bagpipes, said cancer runs in his family, and he lost a friend to cancer last week. He plays the pipes at various Relay for Life events.

"I can't say I like to do these, but I'm glad  I can," he said.