Twenty-four hours of walking around a track might not appeal to everyone, but those who've participated in Relay For Life say the benefit of raising money for the American Cancer Society makes the effort worth their while.

Students interested in forming a team to participate in the Relay For Life event next April are encouraged to attend an informational team captain's meeting tonight at the University Marriott Hotel at 7 p.m.

Relay For Life, put on by the UA Relay For Life club in accordance with the American Cancer Society, is an event designed to celebrate cancer survivors, and raise money for research and programs for ACS.

This year marks the second annual UA Relay for Life event, which will be held April 2 through April 3 at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and the Blind, where UA students and faculty will come together to run or walk all night to show their support for the disease.

The relay brings people together to walk around a track or path for 24 hours with at least one person on each team walking around the track at a given time. The event represents a hope that those lost to cancer will not be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated, according to the ACS Web site.

Brian Elisco, a Relay For Life event co-chair and physiological sciences junior, said the event helps people afflicted by the disease.

"I thought this was a really good event and the ACS raises a lot of money for cancer research, which is helping a lot of cancer patients and is really special," he said.

Elisco said tonight's event is a meeting for students interested in creating a group for participation in the Relay For Life event that will be held in April.

"Basically we're going to show students how to organize teams and show them how to raise money for the American Cancer Society," he said. "We're trying to get everyone excited about the relay."

Tonight's informational event will include food, entertainment, a live DJ and a speech by a cancer survivor, Elisco said.

Katie Kowalek, a Relay For Life event co-chair and molecular and cellular biology senior, said being a part of Relay For Life is special because everyone involved is there for the same reasons.

"It's a lot of fun to work together with people who are concerned about the cause to help make this event possible," Kowalek said.

Elyse Medoff, team recruitment chair and a nutritional sciences junior, said she's excited about participating in the event again.

She said she hopes to bring as many students together as possible tonight to learn about cancer awareness and get them to join or start a group for Relay For Life.

Medoff, Kowalek and Elisco said the Relay For Life event holds personal and special meaning for them.

"To me, Relay For Life is very important because my dad is suffering from chronic lymphomic leukemia," Medoff said. "This race is dedicated to him, all the other survivors and those who are suffering with cancer now and in the future."

Elisco said the deaths of his grandparents who were afflicted by various types of cancer prompted him to join the UA Relay For Life program.

Kowalek said she was overcome with emotions during the event last year because it made her think about her dad who died of the disease.

"It's a very powerful event," she said.

Medoff said she hopes with enough money raised through events like Relay For Life doctors can eventually find a cure for cancer.

"This is why ACS has events like this. Relay For Life is where they raise most of their money for research and awareness," she said.

Elisco said teams who sign up for the event before Dec. 1 will only have to pay a $50 sign-up fee while the price is $10 for each participant after the deadline.

Over 34 teams participated in last year's Relay for Life, which raised $28,000 for cancer research.

"We're hoping to double the teams and money raised this year," Elisco said.