MESA, AZ — Helping to find a cure for cancer - one step at a time. That was the mission Saturday at the East Valley Relay for Life event, held at Westwood High School in Mesa.
Despite the heat, nearly two dozen teams took part in raising money for the American Cancer Society.
ABC15's Nick Ciletti, a survivor of neuroblastoma, was there to help kick off the Survivors' Lap, which is a chance for cancer survivors to walk the track together in a show of solidarity.
It's also a chance to celebrate the many volunteers, medical staff, and caregivers.
"And when you have someone who has been through the journey, they correlate more," says Ray Mota, a two-time cancer survivor. "It gives them a ray of hope, which is what I've been doing as a mission."
"I know that if we can continue to raise money, that deep down inside, if we continue to do the things that we are doing, we are going to find a cure and that everyone will be a survivor at some point," explains Tony Williams from Big O Tires.
Tony explained that he had lost his mother and his sister to cancer, and that his father was a survivor, so the disease had especially impacted him and his family.
Tony was on hand for a special $200,000 donation from Big O Tires.
To learn more about Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society's mission, click here.
