FILE PHOTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Participants walk around the track at Drachman Stadium to raise money for cancer research during last year's Relay for Life. This year's event starts Saturday at 3 p.m. and will be held at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind.

The second annual UA Relay for Life is an overnight event aimed to spread the word about the group's efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

This year's Relay for Life is from 3 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and the Blind, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd., and is designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research, advocacy and education for the ACS, said Brian Elisco, co-chair of the event.

Teams of eight to 15 participants will gather at the school's track and take turns walking or running laps. As a rule, each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times to show that "cancer never sleeps, so neither will we," said Elisco, a physiological sciences junior.

Organized by the UA Relay for Life club, participants said the number of students, faculty, staff and alumni who support the cause and raise money makes the all-night event worth their while.

Katie Kowalek, team recruitment chair, said being a part of Relay for Life is special because it allows her to celebrate the life of her father who passed away from cancer two years ago.

"Relay for Life is unique in that it unites survivors and gets people together for the common goal of finding a cure for cancer," said Kowalek, a molecular and cellular biology senior.

According to the Relay for Life Web site, Relay is the ACS's signature activity, uniting millions of people in thousands of communities nationwide to raise money to help prevent cancer, save lives and diminish suffering from the disease.

Relay for Life has more than 300 teams nationwide. The event raises about $3 million each year and makes up about one-third of the ACS's proceeds that help support cancer research, education and awareness, according to the Web site.

Elisco said the UA Relay is expected to attract 700 to 800 people who hope to raise as much money as possible for the cause.

Kowalek said $45,000 has been raised as of Wednesday night, with $25,000 raised online, which brings the club closer to their $65,000 goal.

"Every dollar raised makes a difference to people whose lives are touched by cancer," Elisco said. "We've definitely surpassed our goal."

Last year more than 34 teams participated in the UA Relay for Life, which raised $28,000 for cancer research.

The 2005 UA Relay for Life marks the first year there has been an online donation drive where participants have the option to donate money via credit or debit card as opposed to putting a check or cash into an envelope.

"It's definitely a lot easier (than the envelopes)," Elisco said. "It allows people to donate instantly from all over the world and we have had amazing feedback on it from the team captains so far."

Elisco said the highlight of the night is the luminaria ceremony, which takes place to honor those fighting cancer and those who have lost the battle. This year, Elisco said he hopes to have a white paper bag with a candle inside it for every participant to light.

A nine-year-old cancer survivor is expected to speak about her experience fighting cancer, and 20 other local cancer survivors are expected to walk and celebrate cancer survivorship, Kowalek said.

Though the night carries a serious undertone, Elisco said there will be activities and entertainment all night long, including five live bands, a DJ spinning tunes all night long, and the Miss Relay drag queen competition as well as various games and contests for participants.