MURRIETA —— Residents walked laps Saturday around a track at Vista Murrieta High School, bands entertained the crowds and men dressed as women to solicit donations for the American Cancer Society —— all in the spirit of fighting the disease.

About 2,000 people participated in Relay For Life, the American Cancer Society's signature fund-raising event. Participants form teams, who raise money for the organization. The teams then gather at a track and walk for 24 hours, which symbolizes the 24-hour-a-day fight cancer patients endure.

Proceeds from the relay, which began at 9 a.m. Saturday and ends today, go to the nonprofit group and are used for research, education, advocacy and patient services.

Tami Greer, chairwoman of the event, said participants had raised at least $60,000 by Saturday afternoon, and money was still coming in. Volunteers would count the funds through the night, she said.

Greer, who lost her son, Jordan, to Hodgkin's disease two years ago, said every team has a purpose —— whether to walk for a cancer patient, survivor or just to raise money for research.

At the school's track, white shade tents dominated the landscape, and people set out chairs to chat with teammembers in between walking laps.

Among the crowd was Antonia Ameen, 17, a student diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma about two months ago. Swelling in her neck prompted her to seek out medical attention, and she said she was "shocked" to find out she had cancer.

Her friends and family found out about the relay through Greer, and immediately set out to form a team. Thus, Nia's Dream Team was born.

She's already had chemotherapy treatments, and said the medicine has made her nauseated and fatigued. She said she hangs on through encouragement from her loved ones.

Her mother, Antionette Allen, said she has her good days and bad days, but like Nia, she gets along with support from her friends and family.

"I think (the relay) is really great —— the concept of getting all these people together to celebrate people who have survived and people who haven't."

Ruben Longoria, with the American Cancer Society Murrieta branch, said many teams fielded huge numbers of participants, such as the Vista Murrieta Associated Student Body, which brought in 80 people, he said.

Last year, the event featured 35 teams, while this year's turnout has increased to 45 teams.

"The whole community is represented," he said.

Joe Murray, a physics and chemistry teacher at Vista Murrieta, said he's been open about his melanoma with his students, and they've been extremely supportive.

Murray, who is a member of a band called Epstein's Mother, was there with fellow bandmate Jason Bowen, another teacher at the school, among others.

Murray, who spoke at the opening ceremonies Saturday, said he refuses to be pessimistic about his chances for survival, and is participating in an experimental cancer treatment program at a hospital in San Francisco.

"I remain 100 percent positive," he said. "I have two beautiful kids, I love life and I'm not going to think about any other option."

Contact staff writer Kelly Brusch at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or kbrusch@californian.com.