Whether you walk for someone fighting cancer or someone who lost the battle, the Relay for Life is a chance to walk with a purpose. "It's really a celebration of life, and also providing hope for people that get diagnosed with cancer — that cancer can be beaten, that people are surviving their diagnosis and going on to healthy lives," said local co-ordinator Patti Mertz. Although the walk itself is a little way off — June 23 and 24 — now is the time to build a team and start fundraising.Teams are usually 10 to 15 people and each participant is responsible for raising $100, or Mertz said teams can fundraise as a group and pool their money together.Fifty-four teams have registered in the Comox Valley so far, which Mertz finds "exciting" because only 38 had registered by this time last year and the total number of teams registered last year was 63.Standard registration is $20 until June 4, late registration is $25 until June 22, and youth registration is $15 until June 22.From 7 p.m. June 23 to 7 a.m. June 24 participants will walk the Vanier Track. Each team is encouraged to take turns walking laps with all teammates staying at the track for the duration. However, Mertz doesn't want people to be discouraged if they can't stay the entire time, and urges people to participate even if they can't stay up all night.Mertz is also looking for day-of volunteers; anyone interested can e-mail her at comoxvalleyrelay@bc.cancer.ca or call her at 250-218-7158She invites cancer survivors to come out for the pre-walk survivor reception and dinner, donated by Thrifty Foods, but asks people to register first by calling the Canadian Cancer Society's Comox Valley unit office at 250-338-5454."And we also want to invite the entire Comox Valley to come out to Relay to participate in the survivor lap and/or light a luminary to remember loved ones lost," added Mertz. The money raised from the event will be invested in cancer research to save lives, give information and support to people living with cancer and cancer prevention initiatives.To register a team or for more information visit www.relaybc.ca and select Comox Valley from the drop down menu. Or for specific questions related to teams, contact Patti Mertz at comoxvalleyrelay@bc.cancer.ca or call her at 250-218-7158.writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com