It was Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Wash., whose idea in the 1980s was to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and to show support for his patients who had battled cancer.

He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed — running marathons.

In May 1985, Klatt spent 24 hours circling the track at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran more than 83 miles.

That first year, nearly 300 of Klatt’s friends, family and patients watched as he ran and walked the course.

While circling the track, Klatt said he envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

In 1986, 19 teams took part in the first team relay event and raised $33,000. Today, Relay for Life is held in more than 4,600 communities in the United States and in 23 countries.

$20M raised annually

in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the relay events generate more than $20 million for the American Cancer Society.

Forty percent of the money goes toward the national American Cancer Society programs and services and 60 percent remains in the local community.

“We are still watching our friends and neighbors get diagnosed with cancer,” said Casey Fenton, an American Cancer Society community income development specialist for the Central Susquehanna Unit.

“We are still watching our loved ones die.”

In a recent speech to Relay for Life volunteers, Fenton said: “Some day, in a cancer-free future, you will look back and say, ‘When the fight was hardest, we fought. Our cause was bigger than sub prime mortgages or risky investment banking, and because we stood tall and stood together, we won.’”

“The economy requires volunteers to work harder, said Christie Badger, American Cancer Society regional income development director for the Central Region.