NORMAL - American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of McLean County is about remembering people lost to cancer, celebrating those who have beaten cancer and supporting those who are fighting cancer. | Video

Randy Seggebruch, 38, of Normal died last November, 10 days after getting his cancer diagnosis.

Rob Moser, 38, of Bloomington was released from care in January after a successful, 11-year battle against Hodgkin's disease.

Carolyn Moore, 40, of Bloomington was diagnosed with breast cancer in late March and will begin chemotherapy on July 17.

Moser and Moore and their families, as well as family members and friends of Seggebruch, are among about 1,800 people on the Normal Community West High School track this weekend for the 14th annual relay.

"We don't want other people to have to go through what we went through," said Moser's wife, Janan, when asked why they and their children - Madison, 11, and Michael, 9 - continue to participate. "We want to give back."

Relay, which began at noon Friday and continues until noon today, raises money for American Cancer Society research, programs and services. Teams walk or jog relay-style around the track, surrounded by programs, music and games.

Many participants said Friday afternoon that they intended to camp overnight outside the track despite the intermittent rain. Relay co-Chairwoman Anne Powell, a breast cancer survivor, said the Relay would go on unless the weather compromised the safety of walkers.

Seggebruch had walked for three years in the Iroquois County Relay in memory of his uncle and grandmother. He worked in creative services at State Farm Insurance Cos., was an Army veteran known for his independence, and an artistic and caring person who contributed to charities, said his parents, Sue and Bob Seggebruch of Watseka, and his uncle and aunt, Darrel and Karen Werusing of Mount Pulaski.

Seggebruch had dealt with back pain for several years. Ten days before his death, doctors found an enormous mass on his liver, pancreas and spine, his mother said.

His parents were visiting him the day of a doctor's appointment when he passed out.

"His heart just stopped, and there was nothing we could do to revive him," his mother said. "The doctors were shocked that he went so quickly."

She said, through tears, that losing her son was "heartbreaking." But she and her husband immediately signed on when their son's former co-workers at State Farm said they were organizing a team, Rando's Commandos, in memory of their son.

Moser battled and beat Hodgkin's disease three times and had two bone marrow transplants. In January, at Loyola University Medical Center, he was told that because he had been cancer-free for five years, he didn't need to return.

"That was one of the most joyous events of my life," he recalled.

"I was really excited," Madison said.

"I began to feel more like a normal person," said Moser, who works in human resources at State Farm. As he closed this chapter in his life, he wanted to focus on helping other people, and that's why the Moser family has remained involved with Relay.

"Cancer taught me a lot of things, and one of those things was putting my trust in God," Moser said. "It's about faith, friends and family."

Moore is a friend of the Moser family and walked with them in last year's Relay.

In March, she found a lump in her right breast that was later diagnosed as breast cancer. Her thoughts immediately went to her husband, Tim, and daughters Jane, 12; Megan, 8; and Madeline, 4.

"I lost my mother to cancer when I was 11," Moore explained.

"I was very scared," Megan recalled.

Because the cancer was likely to reoccur, Moore opted for a mastectomy, which happened a month ago. She will begin chemotherapy in July.

"It's not in my lymph nodes and it's Stage 1, so my prognosis is good."

"I have more of a reason to participate (this year)," Moore said of Relay. "I've got three daughters. It would be nice to have a cure (for cancer)."

"You know it's for a good cause," Jane said. "My mom has cancer, so we know how it feels."

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Relay For Life

American Cancer Society Relay For Life of McLean County is the largest such Relay in Illinois. Here are some numbers:

- $556,500 The amount of money that organizers hope to raise by the end of Relay at noon today

- $420,000 The amount of money raised by the start of Relay at noon Friday

- 1,800 Number of walkers and runners on those teams. About double that number of people is expected to attend the event.

- 160 Number of Relay teams

SOURCES: Anne Powell, Pam Garrett, Rob Moser