Cancer is quickly becoming a leading cause of death in the U.S., and four La Jolla High School (LJHS) alumni are fighting back. Along with a volunteer committee of 20 local young professionals, the team has transformed the downtown San Diego American Cancer Society Relay for Life from a modest affair to a booming spectacle in just four years. Brothers Stacy and Jamie Meronoff, LJHS classes of 1999 and 2001 respectively, helped launch the downtown event in 2006 with about 100 participants, and raised a total of $8,000. This year, Stacy said, the committee expects to attract more than 1,000 people and $100,000 in funds for cancer research, advocacy and early-prevention programs through the American Cancer Society. For 24 hours, teams of 10 or more people will walk continuously to symbolize that “cancer never sleeps,” said Stacy, the committee’s chairman. So far, 61 teams have signed up for this year’s relay from Aug. 21 to Aug. 22 from 9 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the North Embarcadero just outside Seaport Village. Jamie is serving as the food and hospitality chair for the 2010 relay. “We’ve taken this event to another level,” he said. “Seeing how much success we’ve had in a down economy, combined with all the corporate sponsorships we’ve gotten and increasing the level of participation has been really rewarding.” The cuisine will go above and beyond typical relay fare, Jamie added, with a buffet-style feast and a special lunch for cancer survivors donated by Dick’s Last Resort. “We try to get as many restaurants and eateries involved as possible,” he said. “Everyone eats like a king.” Cancer has touched the life of each committee member through friends, family or loved ones who were diagnosed. Some won the battle and others did not. About 10 years ago, Stacy and Jamie’s cousin, Kevin, died of cancer at age 20. “For the next few years, I was giving a check to cancer research,” Stacy said. “Then a coworker invited me to be a team captain for the first downtown relay, and I got behind it because I really felt like this was a charity I could put all my effort into.” Brad Williams — public relations and publicity chair and Stacy’s best friend from high school — lost his grandfather to cancer after a battle that lasted eight years. “I was so grateful he had those extra years and that advancements in medical technology allowed him to play a greater role in my life,” Williams said. “I relay for him, in the hopes that others will have more opportunities with their loved ones and that they will eventually beat this disease.” David Lichtenstein, LJHS class of 2001 who now works as a litigation attorney, is the corporate sponsorship chair and has seen cancer plague his family without regard for age or generation. “Unfortunately, there’s a very high prevalence of cancer in my family,” he said. “This event is a way for me to feel like I can make a direct contribution to finding a cure for the disease.” The group hopes its assortment of young professionals, ages 25 to 35, will bring fresh energy to the event and help spread awareness to a younger generation. “The advantage is that we’re hungry,” Williams said. “We’re a proactive group that knows cancer will impact us even more as we move forward.” Jamie agreed. “Not everybody that age has been touched by cancer yet, but chances are in the next several years they will be, whether it’s a close friend, a relative, or themselves,” Jamie said. “I think it’s important to spread the awareness that this disease is very prevalent and affects everyone in some way at some point.” Lichtenstein said the indestructibility mindset needs to be overcome. “Younger people should pay attention and start thinking about this disease earlier in life,” Lichtenstein said. “It’s not just parents and grandparents who are affected. It’s people our own age. We’re not invincible.” The committee takes a month or two of rest after the relay before the process begins again with an average of 10 hours of work per week, then 20 to 30 hours weekly in the last few months before the big day. For a young crew with day jobs and social lives, the hours add up quickly. “It’s a year-round process,” Stacy said. One thing Stacy said he has learned, however, is that any effort the group puts in will be matched tenfold by the community. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that people out there want to help,” Stacy said. “You’ve just got to ask.” Each year, the group is reminded of the power that a small group of people with energy and focus can wield. “I feel like I’m making a direct impact with tangible benefits in my community,” Lichtenstein said. Being surrounded by such a large community of people whose lives have been affected by the disease also helps put things in perspective. “Now that I’m involved, I can’t imagine not being involved,” Stacy said. “It’s a constant reminder of how lucky I am to be healthy, and how many people unfortunately are not. We’ve got to try to create better mechanisms to combat these issues.” Williams urged his peers to take action. “We hope that more young people start getting involved in causes they care about,” he said. “You don’t have to wait until something impacts you to have a voice.” The first Relay for Life took place in Tacoma, Wash. in 1985. Today, more than 3,000 relays take place each year around the world with about 30 in San Diego County alone. To start a team, join a team, donate or learn more, visit www.relayforlife.org/downtownsandiegoca. Relay for Life Cancer never sleeps, and neither will more than 1,000 participants in the fourth annual Downtown San Diego American Cancer Society Relay for Life on Aug. 21 and 22 at the North Embarcadero just outside Seaport Village. For a 24-hour period from 9 a.m. to 9 a.m., members of more than 60 teams made up of survivors, friends and families and even employees of local businesses, will take turns walking or running around a trail to raise more than $100,000 for cancer research, advocacy and early-prevention programs through the American Cancer Society. The event will also feature refreshments and activities each hour such as live music, themed laps, raffle drawings and a luminaria dedication ceremony. To start a team, join an existing team, donate or learn more about the event, visit www.relayforlife.org/downtownsandiegoca.