How much do you know about cancer? Have you thought about joining the Relay for Life event to raise awareness and support the fight against cancer?

The 16th annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life at Iowa State is from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. March 6 at Lied Recreation Athletic Center.

Colleges Against Cancer is the organization that holds Relay for Life every year at Iowa State. The club meets once a week and plans major events, along with several smaller events annually serving Iowa State and the Ames community.

The theme for this year’s Relay for Life is superhero. The slogan is “saving the world from cancer one lap at a time.”

“We have different theme laps throughout the night that participants can bring clothing items or fun items to wear while walking,” said Hannah Eckerman, senior in elementary education and publicity chairwoman for College Against Cancer.

The theme lap is the color of cancer from 9 to 10 p.m., America from 12:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Cyclones from 3:30 to 4:40 a.m. and superhero from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m.

There will be a survivors/caregivers’ walk and Cy and the Cheer Squad are going to be at Relay for Life from 7:30 to 8 p.m.

“It’s very important to recognize the survivors involved in Relay for Life,” Eckerman said. “We have 27 survivors for this year’s event. It’s an encouragement for people to raise money, and this is the goal for American Cancer Society and our Colleges Against Cancer club.” 

The event includes multiple activities, including line dancing, a relay race, a talent show, musical chairs, Minute to Win It games, a hypnotist, Zumba and educational games.

“We are expecting this year’s [event] to be just as successful as the past year’s [event],” said Briana Brunsvold, co-president of College Against Cancer and senior in elementary education. “We have new survivors and caregivers speaking, two of which are professors at Iowa State, so we are expecting this Relay [for Life] to really hit close to home for a lot of participants.”

Another co-president, Kelsey McCarty, senior in food science, said she hopes all participants leave Relay for Life feeing accomplished for helping out a cause bigger than themselves, motivated to continue to help in the fight against cancer and empowered to live a healthy life by taking steps to prevent themselves from cancer.

This year’s Relay for Life has put an extra focus on cancer awareness and education. Colleges Against Cancer is incorporating more education throughout the night and is holding a tanning prevention pledge ceremony.

“We will be encouraging all attendees to sign a pledge to not tan in tanning booths to help protect themselves from cancer,” McCarty said.

There is a $10 registration fee and each participant who raises $100 will be put in a drawing to win an iPad Mini. Anyone may join a team or start a new team.

Cash is encouraged to join the event and all proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. There will be a raffle for a basketball signed by men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and 2015 ISU football tickets. The raffling tickets are $1 for 1 ticket or $5 for 6 tickets and will be drawn at 11 p.m.

Food is also provided all night. Pulled pork sandwiches will be sold from 7 to 10 p.m. for $4.

Signup and more information can be found at: www.relayforlife.org/iowastate.