CEDAR FALLS -- University of Northern Iowa junior Allison Rhoades sits on the artificial turf, posing for a picture with the rest of her team at the UNI Dome.

When the picture is snapped, a friend playfully places Rhoades' prosthetic foot on her head. Rhoades throws her head back and laughs.

"What are you going to do? You can't do anything about it, so I just roll with it," says Rhoades of her exceptionally sunny disposition.

This group of college friends partied at the dome Friday night for the fourth annual UNI Relay for Life, an event that raises money for the American Cancer Association.

About 1,500 people walked around the dome and dotted the football field with blankets, tents and camping chairs Friday night until 6 a.m. Saturday. The UNI Relay for Life, one of the nation's biggest college relays, hopes to raise a school record $100,000 for the American Cancer Society. The event, in its fourth year, netted $73,000 last year.

Rhoades' group dressed up as softball players for their "A League of Their Own" theme, and say they're spending the night to support Rhoades, whose foot was amputated in May after doctors diagnosed her with a rare form of cancer.

"She's seriously an inspiration. She takes this struggle so much better than most people take regular life," says Rhoades' roommate, Alicia Zadow.

Rhoades says she defused a potentially awkward situation at the beginning of the school year with humor, an especially effective tool in a college dormitory. Zadow says her first phone conversation with her roommate last summer went something like this:

"So, I had my leg amputated. I just thought I should tell you in case my leg falls off during movie night."

The Sioux City Strollers staked out one of the end zones with a sprawling three-bedroom tent and a huge sign that reads "Sioux City Strollers: We're takin' action and have hope." They are the extended family of Scott Smith, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September.

Leslie Riser, a UNI alumnus, says they're expecting to raise about $3,500, which would likely put them in first place in fundraising.

The family, about a dozen strong, trekked across the state to show support for Smith, a 42-year-old Sioux City father of three.

Riser, who is Smith's cousin, said the experience opened her eyes to the prevalence of cancer in society.

"You'd be amazed how many people have been touched by some sort of cancer," she says.

Just as astounding, she says, is the outpouring of support that people have shown Smith and his family.

"It's actually at the point where they're overwhelmed by all of it," she said.

UNI senior Grant Erwin, president of UNI Relay for Life, says the highlight for most people is the luminary ceremony, which honors the victims of cancer. While the most memorable moment may be the most poignant, it's clear people come to celebrate the life of cancer survivors and victims alike.

People toss footballs and baseballs around, others play cards and John Riordan relaxes in a chair, watching his grandchildren zip by him playing tag.

Riordan's wife, Leta, has been a cancer survivor since 2001. His entire family -- his four grown children and all his grandkids, came for one simple reason:

"It's for a good cause, and my wife wanted us to be here," he said.

Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.