The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fund-raising event first took place at UT in April 2003, as participants and teams walked around Circle Park all night to raise awareness of cancer prevention and research. More than $30,000 was raised in the initial effort. Relay for Life began in 1985 when a doctor from Washington took donations for cancer prevention while running around a local track for 24 hours. Since then, the event has spread to a national network of fund-raisers. Bonnie Hufford, a leukemia survivor, instructor of journalism and electronic media, was the charter adviser for the activity.