Celebrate. Remember. Fight back. These are the three words that participants in the Relay for Life live by. They celebrate the lives of those who have survived cancer, remember those lost, and fight back against the disease.

The Relay for Life is a 12-hour community event, in which participants circle a track encircled with luminarias — bags decorated and lit in tribute to those lost to cancer — to raise money and bring awareness about the disease. North Reading is hosting the Relay for Life at the North Reading High School athletic complex from 6 p.m. Friday May 20 until 6 a.m. Saturday, May 21.

Those officially signed up for the relay now number more than 400, according to Janet Vincze, a cancer survivor, and a tri-chair of the event along with Lucy Celani and Penny Esposito. Money is raised on teams or alone, but Vincze wanted people to be aware that the relay was in no way an event exclusive to those who had signed up.

“All are welcome to attend the Relay,” she said. “You don’t have to be part of a team; you don’t have to live in North Reading.”

Through the work of its team of volunteers, the North Reading Relay for Life has raised about $94,000, which will go toward cancer research grants awarded by the American Cancer Society. The team dubbed “Jessica’s Friends” has raised more than $10,000 toward the Relay’s total effort, and Andy Graham has brought in almost $5,000 by himself, according to the event website. Though this number may seem impressive, Vincze said that the group is still working toward its goal.

“There are always donations turned in the night of Relay and actual onsite fundraisers at the event going on all night,” she said. “People can donate online right up to and after the Relay has taken place.”

In Celani’s estimation, the North Reading Relay for Life has raised about $800,000 in the eight years it has been run.

If you’ve never been to a relay, it is much more than just walking laps around a track. The organizers work to keep everyone involved and excited. Activities throughout the evening include a game designed around the TV show “Minute to Win it” and a Relay Idol.

DJ Ace Boogie will be providing music throughout the evening, and a center stage will have numerous live music offerings, from acoustic duos, to the Adam Douglass Trio.

To keep the blood flowing, the center stage will also feature yoga in the early morning, as well as Zumba with Amy Fournier, which Vincze describes as a “blast.”

Vincze also said that cancer survivors are welcomed to a dinner at 6:45 provided by the Lee family of the Horseshoe Grill. 

To break the routine of lap walking, the Relay is featuring themed laps throughout the night. After the event is kicked off by a lap walked by survivors and their caregivers, laps include fun-oriented  “Boston Sports Lap” and “Pajama Lap,” as well as laps designed to educate and dedicated to different types of cancer.

“Each relayer will get a colored ribbon signifying the cancer that we will be passing out literature on during the lap,” said Vincze. “It’s a way for us to get the information to the people versus them coming to a table to seek out the info.”

The Relay’s goal is to bring awareness about cancer and try to raise money to find a cure. Celani believes that North Reading is a great town to support this effort.

“It’s a great community event and North Reading is definitely a close community when it comes to helping others for great causes,” she said. “I am glad to be apart of this, it is so important that we fight to find a cure.”

Vincze thinks the relay is “awesome and a testament to the human spirit and kindness.”

“It always feels good to do something for others, make a difference, have a purpose,” she said.

Both Celani and Vincze are hoping that others will feel the same way, and walk a few laps in support of cancer awareness, provided that the weather cooperates.

“We are hoping for good weather so it doesn’t keep people away,” said Celani, though she exhorted people to “come to relay, rain or shine!”