More than $59,000 was raised during the 14th annual West End Relay for Life. The members of 40 teams donning colorful shirts with clever printed names filled the Pleasant Valley Stadium Saturday morning for the 24-hour marathon to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.

The Relay for Life began in 1985 with Dr. Gordy Klatt, who walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington. He raised $27,000 to help the American Cancer Society.Since then Relay for Life has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, raising nearly $5 billion to fight cancer.The rules for the relay are simple. A member from every team must be present on the track at all times from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. Throughout the day, laps were assigned different themes, including breast cancer awareness lap to a survivors' lap during the evening hours.By 11:30 a.m., temperatures had reached 80 degrees under the overcast sky. Event co-chairwoman Susan Dudley encouraged participants to drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen.Music was played over the loudspeakers to help keep the marathoners' energy up."It's a lot of Gatorade and determination," said Chase Dougherty of the "Baby Got Track" team's strategy."I do it every year," said the Pleasant Valley senior. "This year a friend was recently diagnosed with leukemia so I came out to support the cause.""Our strategy is that some are walking, some are running. We are doing what ever we can as long as someone is on the track. We are trying to rotate, but we want to have fun, too," said Melissa Pasqua of the Ray of Hope team.Pasqua said this year the cause hit close to home as her father was diagnosed in October with prostate cancer."We've been doing it for the past two years with friends, but now we have someone to do it for," she said.Friends for a Cure team captain Cory McKeever has been involved with the fundraiser since the beginning."My mother-in-law lost her battle with breast cancer. Every member on the team is walking for someone who lost someone to cancer. I think that's why a lot of people are walking, in memory of someone," said the Effort resident.During the relay, a luminaria ceremony took place after dark in remembrance of people who have been lost to cancer, to honor those who have fought cancer in the past and support those whose fight continues."We've had a consistent number of teams every year," said Karen Jetty event co-chairwoman. "There are folks who have been doing it since the first day."The marathon came to its conclusion Sunday morning with 19-member team "Pink Kisses - cancer MY way," at the top of the donation list, raising close to $10,000 in memory of Brodheadsville resident and Air Force veteran Candice Adams Ismirle.All funds raised go directly to The American Cancer Society.According to Jetty, planning for the next year's relay will begin in July, when a committee of 12 people will meet once a month to organize entertainment and lap themes for the day.For more details, visit

www.relayforlife.org