Mike Weber’s family has reason to celebrate.The 9-year-old from Ames had his last dose of chemotherapy on Valentine’s Day. Under a sign reading “Chemo’s done, let’s party,” his family and friends gathered at the Relay for Life Sunday at the Lied Recreation Center to celebrate his progress.”Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event,” said Joe Colletti, event co-chairman. “This is our ninth year in Ames, and we have more than 2,000 people participating today.”The eight-hour event was held to generate donations for the cancer society for educational purposes and for services for people undergoing cancer treatment. It also aimed to increase awareness of legal issues surrounding cancer and to earn money for research, said Colletti, associate professor of forestry.”Mike was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago, in December of 1997,” said Dave Weber, Mike’s father. “We’re celebrating today because his three years and two months of chemo are over.”Dave Weber’s friends, work acquaintances and members of Mike’s Fellows Elementary third-grade class joined together to run and celebrate at the relay Sunday morning. “Team Mike” grew into two teams with nearly 45 participants.More than 125 teams participated. The teams collected donations and spent the day running and walking around the track at the Lied Recreation Center, Colletti said.”Overall the event has gone really well,” said Ron Skrdla, event co-chairman. “The entertainment and the education have been great.”Colletti said the ISU Groove, ISU pep band and clowns helped to create a family-oriented event.”There are activities here that everyone can enjoy. It is amazing, the amount of participation and the spirit they come away with,” he said.The event gained the support of local businesses, which donated enough prizes to allow the cancer society to give out about 12 door prizes every half hour for the entire eight-hour period, said Skrdla, agricultural specialist in agronomy.”There is great community support. Everyone’s happy to be here, and they know why they’re here,” Skrdla said.Family and friends of Mike Weber definitely knew why they were there.”It’s a fantastic event and an opportunity to do something to help,” said Kathie Weber, Mike’s mother. “Parents from his classroom at school bring his classmates, and they run around the track with him. It’s really great.”Last year, Mike was the honorary chairman of the event. This year, he passed the torch on to a KASI radio announcer, “Mel in the Morning,” Mel Crippen.Mike said he is very excited about being finished with chemo. Although he doesn’t remember a time in his life when he didn’t have a routine that involved doctors, spinal taps and medications, his mother believes he will be pleasantly surprised at the change in his life now that chemo is over.”He will still need to go into a doctor once a month, but he’s looking forward to it being done,” Kathie Weber said. “His class had a root-beer float party last week, and we’ve been celebrating all week long.”Aside from the leukemia, Mike is a normal 9-year-old kid. His favorite part of the Relay for Life was the food, and his pizza-stained grin supported his statement that “the Happy Joe’s pizza” was the highlight of the day.”I’m glad to be done,” Mike said. “Now I don’t have to take pills every day.”One of Mike’s friends, 9-year-old Sally Smith, ran at the relay.”I like to run,” Smith said. “My uncle has cancer, too. Being with my friends and running is fun.”Smith said the run was for a good cause, and she was happy to see Mike getting better.The day was a success for the Weber family as well as the cancer society.”Recovery rates are increasing dramatically, and we see improvements all the time,” Colletti said. “The support here is great. Ames residents should be proud of their community.”