We’re here to answer any questions you might have about Relay For Life. Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, but if you have questions that are not answered or are in need of other assistance, please visit our Contact Us page.
Event FAQ | Online FAQ
What is Relay For Life?
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events 24 hours in length.
Relay began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since then, Relay has grown from a single man’s passion to fight cancer into the world’s largest movement to end the disease. Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with additional communities in 19 other countries, gather to take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. Thanks to Relay participants, we are creating a world with more birthdays a world where cancer can’t claim another year of anyone’s life.
Read more on our Relay For Life information page.
Why Relay?
Relay For Life is more than just a fundraiser. It’s a life-changing experience. At Relay, every person in the community has a chance to celebrate, remember, and fight back. And every person who participates joins others around the globe as part of this worldwide movement to end cancer.
Everyone's reason to Relay is as unique as their own personal story. At Relay, you can find healing, comfort, and support from others who have faced cancer or who have lost a loved one to the disease. You have a chance to meet people in the community who are equally as passionate about finding an end to cancer in our lifetime. You can thank all the people who have done so much to support you through your personal cancer experience. And you can gather together with friends, family, and colleagues to laugh, cry, and create lasting memories.
No matter why you take part in Relay, however, one thing is clear: with every step you take, you are helping the American Cancer Society save lives. With your help, we aren’t just fighting one type of cancer we’re fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. Each person who shares the Relay experience can take pride in knowing that they are working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten the lives of our loved ones or claim another year of anyone’s life.
Who can participate?
Anyone can participate in Relay For Life. Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds and awareness to help the American Cancer Society save lives. The success of Relay For Life depends on individuals who commit to raising money and the people who donate to them. Friends, families, neighbors, classmates, companies, sports teams, etc., can form their own teams. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay.
Is there a registration fee?
Each event has a committee which will determine how the registration fee is set up. Please check with your Team Captain or Team Recruitment Committee Member for more information regarding the registration fee for your event.
Is there a required minimum amount to raise?
There is not a required amount of money to raise in order to participate in Relay For Life. The American Cancer Society's recommendation is for each participant to set a personal goal to raise $100. If you raise more, that's even better. If you do not raise $100, you are still welcome to participate. We're glad to have you.
What is a team captain or team member?
Team captains and team members are the "foot-soldiers" in the fight against cancer. Teams are made up of 12-15 people who share a passion and commitment to raise money throughout the year. Fundraising efforts are culminated and celebrated at community Relay For Life events.
Team captains lead their team by attending monthly update meetings in their community. Team captains are the liaisons between the event committee and their team. Team captains organize and delegate needs for the team's fundraising events throughout the year as well as for the team's participation in activities throughout the night of the event.
Relay For Life events last 24 hours. In order to make sure that each team is represented on the track at all times, you're going to need team members. Some will walk in the afternoon. Some will walk in the evening. And yes, some will even walk the "zombie" shift (the wee hours of the morning). Team members also help support Relay by participating in team and individual fundraisers throughout the year.
To register, sign up online.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. For more information and resources, please visit RelayForLife.org.
What is a survivor?
A survivor is anyone who has ever heard the words “You have cancer.” We invite all cancer survivors in the community to attend Relay For Life because they are the reason we Relay. Our goal is to create a world where more people survive cancer so they can celebrate another birthday. When you support the American Cancer Society’s mission to help save lives, you are doing just that.
To learn more about survivors at Relay For Life, please visit our survivors page.
What is a Luminaria?
Luminaria are bags, each with a special meaning, that are illuminated during one of the most moving parts of any Relay For Life event, the Luminaria Ceremony. Some luminaria celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer and have lived to tell their stories. Many remember the lives of loved ones who have been lost to this disease. All represent someone special who has been profoundly affected by cancer and the family and friends who continue to fight back in their honor.
Visit our Luminaria page to honor or remember someone with a luminaria during the Relay For Life Luminaria Ceremony.
How can people get involved in Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society’s fight to save lives?
There are numerous ways that you can help the American Cancer Society as we fight to save lives by helping people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer.
You can:
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Sign up online as a Relay For Life team captain or team member. If you choose to become a team captain, we’ll give you the tools you need to gather a team to Relay with you. You can access the Team Captain Toolkit below.
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Sponsor a Relay For Life participant or team with a generous, tax-deductible donation.
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Help at the event by volunteering your time and talent.
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Volunteer for the Society’s many services and programs in your community. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please visit
cancer.org.
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Become a grassroots advocate to help work with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer. Learn how you can take action at
acscan.org/relay.
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Protect yourself by learning and following the American Cancer Society’s prevention and early detection guidelines at
cancer.org.
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Share your story and your commitment to Relay For Life by visiting
RelayForLife.org.
How much money does Relay For Life raise for the American Cancer Society?
Since 1985, Relay For Life events across the United States have collected more than $3.5 billion in the fight against cancer. In 2008, over 5,000 Relay For Life events across the country raised more than $409 million.
What happens with the money raised from Relay For Life?
Funds you raise through Relay For Life help the American Cancer Society save lives by:
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Helping people stay well - We help people everywhere take steps to prevent cancer or detect it early, when it’s most treatable.
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Helping people get well We are in their corner around the clock to guide people through every step of their cancer experience.
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Finding cures We fund groundbreaking research that helps us understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it.
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Fighting back Together with a grassroots force of citizen-soldiers, we work with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight.
For more details, please visit How Donations Make a Difference page.
Where can I go to find more information about Relay For Life?
Please visit RelayForLife.org for information, resources, blogs, forums, and much more! You may also want to visit our Contact Us page to get in touch with your local American Cancer Society office for information on your specific Relay For Life event.
How do I sign up online?
We offer a quick and easy way for you to sign up for Relay For Life and raise money online.
Simply go to your event home page. Then, click the Sign Up button and choose to start a team (if you are a team captain) or join an existing team (if you are a team member). From there, follow the few easy steps to complete the process. If you have questions about signing up, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Which registration option should I choose to participate in an event?
It's up to you. If you are interested in being a team captain, select the ‘Start a Team’ option. There is no minimum number of people required to start a team. If you are a team member and would like to join an existing online team, select the ‘Join a Team’ option and search for your team’s name.
How do I donate online to a participant or a team?
Visit the event home page. Then, click the ‘Donate’ button and choose whether you would like to search for a participant or team. From there, follow the easy steps to complete the process. If you have questions about donating, please do not hesitate to contact us.
How do I donate online to the general Relay For Life event?
Visit the event home page. Then, click the ‘Donate’ button and follow the link that states “click here to give a general donation to the event”. From there, follow the easy steps to complete the process. If you have questions about donation, please do not hesitate to contact us.
What benefits does the Relay For Life online fundraising site provide to participants?
The online fundraising site makes it easier than ever to raise money to support the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission. When you sign up online, you can:
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Personalize your own fundraising Web page by adding a photo and story
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Access an email tool that allows you to invite everyone you know to join your team or support you with a donation. There are even sample messages to help you get started!
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Collect donations using our secure, personalized Web site
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Track individual fundraising progress as well as the progress of your team members
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Send weekly emails to keep your team members motivated
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Send fun ecards to friends and family
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Add personal fundraising application to your Facebook page that will allow friends to donate directly to you, as well as view your fundraising success
What is a personal page?
Once you sign up online, a personal Web page will be automatically created for you. You have the option of personalizing this page by logging into the Participant Center. Here you can upload a photo of yourself or a loved whose cancer journey has motivated you to action, and also share a personal story about why you Relay. This is your place to express why you support Relay For Life and encourage others to join you.
Do I have to change my personal page once I sign up?
No, but we recommend you do. Once you sign up online, a personal page is automatically created for you. But by creating an even more compelling personal page, you can attract and engage more supporters. Think of your personal page as your own creative expression of your commitment to the cause. It’s best if you tell your story and explain why Relay For Life is important to you. Emails you send through your participant center will link people to your page, so be sure it speaks to them with your personal words and photo.
How do I use my username and password?
Every time you visit your event Web site, be sure to log in by entering your username and password and clicking the Log In button on the top right of the page. If you have visited the site before, your computer may have a cookie and will recognize you, logging you in automatically. (A cookie is a small piece of information a Web site leaves on a visitor's computer when the visitor is browsing the site. Web sites use cookies to remember information about a visitor to be used at a later time.) Logging in will place you into your Participant Center where you have access to your personal page, your team information, and online tools to encourage your friends and family to support you.
What if I've forgotten my username and password?
Remember that your username and password are case sensitive. If you need to, you can follow this link to request your password now. You will receive an email with your information.
How do I change my username and/or password?
First, log in to the site using your current username and password. After logging in, you will see a Change Profile link at the top of the page. Once you are in your profile, you will be able to change your contact information, email address, username, and password. All saved changes will be made immediately.
If I signed up last year, will I be able to access last year’s information?
Welcome back and we are happy you are participating in Relay For Life again this year! As long as you sign up for the same event you participated in last year, you’ll be able to access your personal address book and fundraising page from the year before, which will make it easier than ever to get started.
Can I set a personal fundraising goal?
While we definitely encourage you to set a personal fundraising goal and try and meet or exceed it, participants are not required to raise a minimum amount. You can ask for donations from friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors. Donations can be made through our secure Web site. If you have not finished collecting your funds by the day of the event, or are unable to attend, you can still continue to fundraise online … in fact, you can raise funds for Relay For Life all year long!
How do I change my personal fundraising goal?
Log in to the site using your username and password. Then click on My Participant Center. The bottom right-hand side of your participant center is where you can modify your personal fundraising goal. Simply enter your new goal and submit the changes.
How do I change my team name or team goal?
Only the team captain has the ability to change the team name or team goal. The team captain will need to log in and click the Team Progress button on the top right, and update the team name or goal on the Team Progress page. |
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How do I ask people to support my effort?
Our easy-to-use online fundraising site allows you to safely and securely upload email addresses of friends and family into your Participant Center address book. You can use our sample emails, or create your own, and ask everyone you know to join you as a participant or support you with a donation.
How can I see who has donated to me?
Log in to the site using your username and password, then click on My Participant Center. Click the My Progress tab where you can view your donor list and the amounts donated.
How can I see who is on my team?
Log in to the site using your username and password, then click on My Participant Center. Click the Team Progress tab where you can view your team roster and the amounts raised by each team member.
How do I unsubscribe from email?
Toward the bottom of each email message, there is an Unsubscribe link. Click the link and follow the instructions given to unsubscribe. Please remember that the emails we send you are related to Relay For Life and often contain helpful updates and event information. Unsubscribing might prevent you from receiving this information.
What if I accidentally unsubscribed and want to re-subscribe?
No problem. Simply log in using your username and password and click on Change Profile at the top of the page. Then, click on E-mail Interests to update your email preferences to ensure you receive important Relay For Life emails.
How do I receive a receipt for my online donation?
You will receive an email confirmation after completing your donation. This email is your official gift receipt, and you may print it and save it for your records. If you do not receive a gift receipt, please contact us to request a duplicate copy.
Once I make a donation, will my name be placed on various mailing lists?
The American Cancer Society maintains records of all donations, and the Society may contact you in the future. You can choose to opt out from further financial contribution activities or any contact from the Society. For more information, read our Legal and Privacy Information.
How do I donate by mail?
If you would like to make a donation to a specific Relay For Life participant, you may print a donation form by clicking on the printable donation form link on the participant’s personal donation page. Complete the form and mail it to your local American Cancer Society office.
Is my information secure online?
The American Cancer Society has made every effort to protect your personal information. We use industry-standard SSL encryption techniques to ensure that your credit card information, passwords, and personal information travel securely over the Internet. There is also an encryption engine on our database server that securely stores data.
How is credit card information handled?
Credit card information is not stored in our database. During the donation process, we send donor credit card information to an online processing terminal using a secure connection. The information passed back is an approval or denial for the credit card donation.
When I click on a link, I'm seeing a page that I visited previously instead of the page I'm trying to visit. Why is that?
Most browsers have what we call "caching issues," which basically means your computer is remembering something you don't want it to. This is common when you frequently use the back button on a site, and can also happen if you're using a shared computer. To clear your cache, follow the instructions below based on which browser you're using:
Internet Explorer:
FireFox:
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Go to Tools.
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Click Options.
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Go to the Privacy section
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Go to the Private Data section and click the Settings button. Make sure Cache is checked.
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Click OK.
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In the Private Data section, click the Clear Now button
Please note that clearing your cache may take several minutes, during which time your computer may appear to freeze or the browser may appear to stop responding/lock up. Please be patient and allow this process to finish. If you continue to experience problems after clearing your cache, completely quit the browser (close all open windows, regardless of what site is open in that window), then reopen the browser. This will clear session data, which can also cause caching issues.
What if I have more questions?
Please visit our contact us page to get in touch with your local American Cancer Society. You can also call us anytime, day or night at 1-800-227-2345 or visit http://www.cancer.org/.
