Cancer hit Marlene very early in life twice – at 21 and 23. It struck again at age 50.

“I’m a fighter,” she said. “I have to be. I was 21 – a kid – and they told me I would have to have a hysterectomy. I was pregnant and they had to abort the baby. At 23, I said, ‘OK, I can deal with this (another cancer). At 50, well, God’s left me here for a reason. He knows when I’m going to go, and this isn’t it.”

Phillips was extremely proud that even before the relay began, event organizers had already reached their goal of $35,000 – double the total amount raised through all of last year’s efforts. Fundraising for this year’s walk began last October and 27 relay teams were formed to participate in it.

Featured during the walk on the football infield were dancers, singers and bands, along with clowns and face-painters. Around the track were booths with games, food and reading material.

Ginny Brown, event chairperson for the Poinciana relay, said Tuesday a total of $45,000 had been raised after the overnight event concluded and money was still trickling in.

“We did very well,” she said. “I am very happy about it.”

According to Brown, the Outstanding Individual Fundraiser was Glenda Stearns, who managed to pull in more than $2,000 for the cause. The Outstanding Team Fundraiser, she said, was Howie’s Gang, members of which collected $10,000.

“We’ve had a phenomenal time,” she said only an hour into the relay Friday night as crowds began filling the football stadium infield. “We really got a lot of people involved.”

Some 330 people registered for the event, and American Cancer Society community representative Matthew Sousa, a relative of the famous American composer and conductor John Philip Sousa, put the number at the stadium at more than 400 early in the relay.

“It’s very rewarding for me,” he said. “There are many straight days and lots of hours that go into this. It’s amazing because you rarely get tired. I am very blessed to be surrounded by people who are as passionate about it as me.”

Team Development Chairman Nancy Harvey, who individually raised more than $2,000 and was just shy of Stearns’ amount, said she was happy with the number of people who showed up.

“This turnout is pretty good,” she said. “I get a personal satisfaction out of it. To see everyone’s passion about it is very uplifting.”

Phillips said cancer survivors have something very big in common.

“If you’re a cancer survivor, you’re very passionate about the disease and then you embrace others who have it,” said Phillips, who has lived in Florida the past five years. “This (the relay) is incredible.”

The St. Cloud relay at St. Cloud High School began Friday and finishes today; the Harmony relay is set for May 7-8 at the town square; and the Celebration event will be May 14-15 at Lakeside Park.