Also mingling among the 700 participants and 47 teams at Johnny Carson Park in Burbank was an 8-year-old aspiring doctor who is learning the ropes by taking care of his aunt, as well as a 35-year cancer survivor.
Pat Heydon, who allows herself this one day a year to dwell on events of the past, said the 24-hour experience is "worth its weight in gold."
"You can mourn a little bit with everyone," said Heydon, a regular at the Tuttle Adult Center. "You let it go for another year."
Organizers milled about the two events urging people to quit smoking and keep mammograms and colonoscopies current. Teammates took turns running and walking laps, while others prepared for the nightcap luminaria celebration.
By nightfall, visitors lit candles inside sand-filled bags, each one bearing the name of a person touched by cancer. Some participants walked one silent lap, while others embraced the symbolism after having walked alongside their relative or friend as they battled the disease.
At Clark Magnet, which drew visitors from La Crescenta, La Cañada, Glendale and Los Angeles, Christina Stoic celebrated the lives of loved ones with three luminarias.
She recently lost her husband to cancer. Their son, Christian, a senior at St. Francis High School, said while the ensuing months have been rough, time is slowly healing the wounds.
"We're keeping his memory alive," Christian said.
