This year’s Renton Relay for Life was all about celebrating more birthdays.

“If you help with this, another person can get another year to have a birthday,” said 14-year-old cancer survivor Zhane Furgate.

About 750 people came together at Renton Memorial Stadium May 21-22, collecting about $116,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The event’s theme, “Imagine a world with more birthdays,” dominated the relay. Some runners dressed up as candles, while others wrapped gifts in balloon-filled tents.

During the kick-off survivor lap, walkers carried signs with how many more birthdays they’ve had since they started treatment.

Zhane has celebrated nine more birthdays since she was diagnosed at age 5.

“This is the first year my daughter has had a team of her own,” said mother Perlina, adding that Zhane’s team name is Relay for Me, very teenage.

The American Cancer Society helped her family learn more about cancer treatments, get connected with support groups and even gave Zhane a quilt, which she took everywhere as a child.

“I wanted to give back in a way,” Zhane said.

The relay is emotional for most of the participants, because they either suffered from cancer themselves or are close to someone who has.

The relay takes you back to the darkest part of your life and then reminds you of the other side, Perlina said.

“Each one of those people on the track had a story,” said event tri-chair Lori Corbett. “Every one of them has a reason why they relay.”

For breast cancer survivor Debbie Tracy, it’s about giving back and also supporting her daughter, who walked 20 miles the year before.

Tracy also received help through the American Cancer Society, which supports Look Good, Feel Better. The group helps women, who often lose their hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, learn to use makeup and wear wigs.

“I’m not a makeup wearer,” Tracy said before she visited the group. “There are things you can do with makeup that make you feel healthy.”

Renton hairstylist Jeana Mar, from Center Coiffures, attended the event to cut 10-inch braids of hair for Locks of Love.

“For women losing their hair is one of the hardest things,” she said.

The hair cuts were free, but styling was extra. Some women grow their hair out all year long in anticipation of the event, Mar said.

High school students from Renton, Hazen and Lindbergh dominated half of the field, with tents crammed beneath the field-goal post and plenty of room for throwing a frisbee.

“We did this last year and it was a lot of fun,” said Lindbergh senior Anita Hu, who led her team from DECA to raise about $500. “We like helping people no matter what it is.”

Unlike other DECA fundraisers, this one allows the teens to see the people the money will go to benefit, she said.

The youth made up about half of those who attended the event, Corbett said.

“Our youth volunteers are just fantastic,” she said. “I have really infringed on their time this year.”

More people showed up to this year’s relay than ever before and she’s expecting that when all the pledges come through, it will also be more money, she said.

She agreed to jump into a lake after meeting the $115,000 fundraising goal.

“I do it (organize) because I’m four years out from chemo,” Corbett said. “I found this really awesome party for survivors, for people who celebrate life in away that can’t be described.”