Cancer walkout

The OCC track was surrounded with decorated white paper bags filled with candles. Dorene Daily and her husband, Marty, stopped when they noticed a bag with the name of one of their colleagues, Denny Bowler.

“We’re here to support him,” Dorene said.

“He’s not doing well at all,” Marty added. “Fourteen years he’s been a survivor of prostate cancer.”

The Dailys were part of a 10-member team supporting Bowler at Costa Mesa’s Relay for Life Friday, but the family has had its own struggles with cancer, too. Dorene is on her second round of chemotherapy for colon cancer, which she was diagnosed with less than two months ago.

This is not her first Relay for Life, though. She participated last year, to support her 27-year-old son who was battling lymphoma. Her son is now cancer free, and his triumph over cancer gives her hope and inspiration, she said.

Friday night was just the beginning of the 24-hour event, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, which guest speaker Mayor Eric Bever called “one of the most worthy and important causes I can think of.”

The 24 participating teams managed to raise $42,000 for cancer research and support, according to event chairman Joseph Kristofl. Each team had about 10 to 20 members who were all responsible for walking or jogging a portion of the all-night relay.

The event was held in May this year, months earlier than the August start last year, Kristofl said in his opening speech.

“We were so excited that we moved it forward three months. There are people that can’t wait. They don’t have three months,” he said, as tears came to his eyes and his voice choked up.

Lisa Williams, the event’s Luminaria Chair, and her team of seven volunteers, age 5 to 72, spent Wednesday drawing pictures and writing messages on the candle-filled white paper bags that lined the track.

“It’s to remember those who passed on and support those who are fighting cancer and celebrate those who are in remission,” Williams said.

One bag had a picture of a sailboat at sea and said, “In memory of Edward Hollingshead. Dad — we love you and miss you. I just want you to know I did it ... I quit smoking. I know you’re proud of me.”

For more photos, click here.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.