Evanston 'Warriors' Take a Stand Against Cancer

Nearly 200 Evanston residents have had their hand in fundraising more than $45,000 to fight cancer as part of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

Related:

These efforts culminate tonight, at 6 p.m., with "participants [walking] the track at Evanston Township High School overnight (to remind everyone that cancer doesn’t sleep); honoring survivors, remembering those that lost their battle with cancer and taking a stand against the disease," acording to a press release from Mike Stern, broker with the Evanston Downtown office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, who works with American Cancer Society to raise awareness and funding.

Stern will be representing The Rose Warriors during the walk, one of 27 teams who've participated in raising money for the event hosted at Evanston Township High School's Fieldhouse. Stern's team is in honor of Rose, a local real estate agent who was diagnosed with cancer in 2010.

"Since Rose was diagnosed, three friends ,Doug, Julie & Shawn, lost their battles with cancer and another, Jeff, made great strides fighting his cancer," Stern wrote in the team's Relay for Life page.

This year Stern and his fellow teammates have raised a record $12,676 for the event. But the bigger reward, he said, is watching Rose tackle cancer.

"We are honored to have Rose and three family members on our team this year and look forward to making this year’s event even better than last year." Stern told Patch in an email, "We only hope that lightning will strike twice for The Rose Warriors: breaking records raising funds and awareness and supporting the people and community that mean so much to us."

Registration for tonight's event begins at 4 p.m. Share your Relay for Life photos with Patch on Facebook.