One night every year, Donna Cook finds herself battling cancer by walking laps around Buena High School's track in Sierra Vista.

She is guided along the track with hundreds of glowing luminaries outlining it, all written with messages dedicated to those who died of cancer. Some say, "I miss you grandma," while others read, "We love you Dad."

These people lost someone close to them, she thinks. The family members faced the same rough battle as her sister, Shirley Crawford, when her late husband, Robert Crawford, was diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, none of them won the fight.

Recalling her sister's loss and thinking about her close friends who have cancer motivates Cook to continue onto her 10th year fundraising for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, taking place this year on May 6 and 7.

"Cancer never sleeps," Cook said. "It's a fearful thing for people and it seems like there's more (of it) than ever. ... This gives you a drive when you think of those who suffer and how it effects families."

Cook is a proud and healthy 78-year-old. She grew up in Monterey, Calif., where she met Henry "Hank" Cook in 1948 before marrying him in 1950.

The two had four children: Sharon, Patricia, Michael and Caren. She also has 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren with the 18th on the way, she said as she smiles.

Though she never attended college, Cook had a variety of professions ranging from a high school cafeteria worker to a scout leader to a receptionist for an ophthalmologist, or an eye specialist. Then, when she moved to Tombstone where Hank grew up, she found herself fulfilling various roles, such as a secretary or a dog groomer. She is now retired.

Cook became an active member of Relay for Life back in 2001.

This was around the time she also found out she had a pre-cancerous skin condition, a result from never wearing sunscreen while growing up in California.

"When you're young, you don't think about things," Cook said. "My sister and I exposed ourselves to the sun a lot ... and rubbed oil and cocoa butter on us to get these beautiful tans. We weren't aware of sunscreen."

Even so, Cook stresses that she wasn't inspired to fundraise because of her close run with cancer. Instead, her inspiration mainly derives from her sister's loss, as well as her efforts to help fight cancer with others.

"My sister was my biggest inspiration," Cook said. "Not only did she lose her husband to cancer, but she was also one of the founders of Sponsoring Survivorship (an organization that fundraises to fight breast cancer in California). If she can do all that, I realized I should do my part, too."

So far, Cook has raised $2,426 this year, which is less than her record of $3,150 last year.

"The economy has been hard on all of us, but I'm not doing too bad this year though," Cook said.

Even so, it's still greater than the $100 she raised her very first year.

"I had an awful time trying to raise $100," Cook laughed. "I was shy by nature. I was hesitant to ask for money. Then my friends got cancer and my sister's husband died. Then it just got personal."

As a result, she developed various fundraising strategies throughout the years such as putting up posters, asking friends and walking along the boardwalk.

"I had a 50-year-old cousin who died of breast cancer," said Gloria Goldstein, the owner of Shady Lady, 404 E. Allen St. "Donna is a very nice lady. She walks for a very good cause (and) it's just something I hope they have a cure for."

Cook notes that last year was the very first year she received support and sponsorships from local businesses, as well as local residents.

"We've lived here for 41 years," Cook said. "I know a lot of people here. ... I don't know what I'd do without them (especially in helping) a worthwhile cause," Cook said.