It was a night for being thankful for life while also expecting more to be done in the fight against cancer.

The Relay for Life of Audrain County held its 25th annual event Saturday on Mexico’s town square with 300 people in attendance and 14 teams total signed up to walk the route.

“The evening was great,” event chair Nancy Early said. “Overall, it was unbelievable. We celebrated our survivors, we remembered our family and friends we have lost to cancer, and we fought back raising $43,275.33.

“We can’t say thank you enough to everyone who supported the 25th Relay for Life.”

Things got started with some speakers sharing their stories about their battles with cancer while a number of tents nearby offered different eats and sweets and memorabilia to commemorate the event.

People of all ages arrived on the square to take a few hours to enjoy a day that gave thanks to life.

Jackie Ostrom, an 86-year-old cancer survivor, led things off as a 25-year participant and survivor.

“Thank you for such a wonderful birthday party,” Ostrom said about celebrating her 86th birthday during the Relay for Life. “My life has been richer and better these last 25 years. I had a good life before that time, but perhaps I did not have the appreciation for my good life until I went through the cancer, which made me stronger.”

Ostrom shared her tale, which included the battles her father and mother had against the dreaded disease.

Her mother lived seven years with cancer while her father succumbed to lung cancer after years of smoking.

Ultimately, Ostrom later discovered she had breast cancer in 1977.

“When the doctor looks at you and says, ‘this is cancer,’ if he had hit you in the chest with a baseball bat, it couldn’t hurt anymore,” she said. “You survivors and caregivers know what that feeling is.

“There are so many different cancers and I want to encourage people to go to those checkups. Early detection is the greatest thing.”

Mexico native Mike Sims said he, his wife and his brother all have survived cancer.

“It gives a good, warm feeling in your heart to see all these survivors and that they are still all here,” Sims said. “I look around and I know a lot of people wearing the purple shirts.

“If you couldn’t cure it, slow it down, slow it down a lot. There are horror stories, but I have been blessed.”

Sims had testicular cancer and was diagnosed on his 21st birthday.

“As crude and as primitive as it was back then, I have been clear for 40+ years right now and they did an awesome job,” Sims said.