About 440 St. Thomas community members gathered in the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex fieldhouse Friday to celebrate, honor and remember those affected by cancer at the university’s eighth annual Relay for Life event.

Caity Kubicek, vice president of St. Thomas’ branch of Colleges Against Cancer, said the event, which lasted from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, raised $36,279.87 for cancer research with donations being accepted until the end of the summer.

Kubicek said she was proud of the event’s large turnout.

“We have college students who have been diagnosed with cancer, or we have childhood friends that have had cancer,” Kubicek said. “There’s no age limit for cancer, so that’s why I believe there’s no age limit to start raising awareness and raising money to fight back against cancer.”

Sophomore Naomi Latt had to drop out of school after she was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of her freshman year at St. Thomas in fall 2012. She was the keynote speaker during the event’s Luminaria ceremony, which is dedicated to those affected by cancer.

“I would not trade my journey with cancer for anything,” Latt said. “I’m a cancer survivor, and I thank God for that everyday. But I don’t think of my story as a cancer story. I think of it as a story of answered prayers.”

Latt returned to St. Thomas to study in fall 2013, and as of April 28, her Ewing sarcoma has been in remission for one year. She credits her strong faith for getting her through nine rounds of chemotherapy, eight weeks of radiation and an autologous stem cell exam.

“I was so blessed through my journey. Not only am I alive, but I’ve learned so much about myself, about my friends and family and about God,” Latt said.

The lights were turned off during the Luminaria ceremony the and the Summit Singers opened the memorial with two songs. Event organizers distributed glow sticks to represent loved ones who are fighting or have battled cancer.

Senior Sarah Moe said she participated in Relay for Life for her aunt who had surgery to treat her cancer in January and is continuing through the treatment process.

“There’s so many people that have cancer and who are affected by it … So it’s so important just to get it out there and share it with people and celebrate as well as get the knowledge out there about it,” Moe said.

Briggs LeSavage can be reached at lesa4364@stthomas.edu.