FUNDRAISE FOR LIFE: More than 1,000 people are preparing for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life fundraising event, to be held Saturday, May 3 at Sierra High School. Above, walkers remember loved ones lost to cancer at a past relay event.

MANTECA — When Mary Betro walked through the finish line at last year’s Relay for Life, she had no idea that she’d be returning this year as a cancer survivor.

She had no family history of cancer and her mammograms had always come back clear. But as Betro quickly learned, “cancer isn’t picky.” The day after Christmas, doctors told her she had a tumor in her breast; she had a single mastectomy two weeks later.

“I didn’t want to waste any time,” the 60-year-old Curves manager recalled. “I was going to get it before it got me.”

Now cancer-free, Betro will be among the cancer survivors to walk the first lap of this year’s walk-a-thon. The rest of her Curves teammates will follow her close behind.

“I didn’t plan on being on that end of it, but I am,” Betro said. “But you’re just thankful to be alive, and you go forward.”

More than 1,000 survivors and sympathizers on 60 teams will be raking in last-minute pledges this week for next weekend’s Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraiser.

Even in tough financial times, this year’s event has already banked $10,000 in pledges — higher than this time last year, according to co-chair Zona Zaragoza.

She suspects that is because the disease has wreaked havoc on so many people’s lives.

“Cancer touches so many lives,” Zaragoza said. “One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. That statistic alone is completely unreal to me.”

Relay for Life will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23 and continue for 24 hours, as walkers continuously circle the Sierra High School track.

At least one person from each team will be on the track at all times for the 24 hours — a reminder that “cancer never sleeps,” organizers say.

Teams can sign up until Saturday, May 3. Folks who aren’t walking can cheer on participants from the sidelines and check out performances that will continue throughout the day.