After a year of fundraising, 19 teams gathered at the Old Rochester Regional track for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Tri-Town.

Participants celebrated cancer survivors and remembered those who lost their fight to the disease.

Event Chair Heather Ruel, who has been part of the event since it began in 2006, said the Mattapoisett Relay is one of the smallest in the area with around 200 participants.

But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in heart.

Over the past seven years, teams have raised $350,000 to fight cancer, $83,000 in last year alone.

This year several new teams joined the cause, including the Mattapoisett Fire Department.

The all-night event began in the afternoon on Friday, June 7, with teams setting up tents and booths, selling food, T-shirts and even manicures to raise extra money for the cause.

At 6 p.m. the Relay kicked off, with at least one member of each team on the school’s track at all times.

Ruel described the long night of walking as a symbol of the “journey through cancer.”

“It signifies a person going through treatment,” said Ruel. “You start off and you’re strong like when you’re diagnosed. At three o’clock in the morning you’re exhausted so it’s really tough.”

Many teams had at least one member who survived cancer, and as Patricia Pais on the Walgreen’s team said, “I think everybody I know has been affected by cancer one way or another.”

For the Ray of Hope team, the Relay is particularly poignant.

Five of the 13 people on the team are cancer survivors.

Team member Pam Houston, who is also on the Relay Planning Committee, said she is urging more participation in  the future.

“We want this relay to be bigger. It’s not big enough,” she said.

The Covanta Energy team, called the Stack Pack, are veterans of the Relay.

“They’ve lost a couple of guys at the plant from cancer, and we’ve all lost people,” said Stack Pack member Jean Joseph whose husband works at Covanta. “Some of us are lucky to have survivors in our family.”

While many aspects of the Relay celebrated survivors, the event also had its somber moments.

At 9 p.m., the activities paused for the Luminaria ceremony to remember those who lost their battle with cancer.

With bags containing candles lining the way, participants gathered to walk the track, some weeping, all silent.

“It’s very important to find a cure for this,” said Joseph.