Cancer touches everyone.

That's the message the American Cancer Society is sending with a shrink-wrapped, signature-covered charter bus, which briefly stopped in Austin Monday for cancer survivors and supporters of cancer research to sign.

The stop was one of many for the bus that is on its way to Washington D.C. where Kristine Hernandez of the American Cancer Society in Rochester says a banner of all the signatures on the bus will be presented to legislators in an effort to raise more government funding for cancer research.

"Less than one percent of the funding goes toward cancer research even though it is the No. 2 killer in the country," Hernandez said. "In Minnesota this year, 20,600 people will be newly diagnosed with the disease."

By the time it gets to Washington on Sept. 18, Hernandez said, the bus will have driven through 48 states. Already it has traveled more than 25,000 miles, visited nearly 300 cities and acquired more than 65,000 signatures. "Cancer touches everyone so we try to touch as many people as we can."

Eileen Burkhart of Austin, a four-year breast cancer survivor signed the bus Monday afternoon. She said she was on her way to the funeral of a friend who had died of cancer and stopped at the bus "to sign it in his memory and to add my support to this lobbying effort."

"My personal hope is the bus will encourage prevention and the search for environmental causes," Burkhart said. "Although the cure rate is up, the incidence rate is up. I have three grandchildren and I'm concerned about them and about all children especially in what feels like a toxic environment with cancer all around us."

The arrival of the bus also was a way to gain support for the Austin Relay for Life. The Relay for Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and "celebrates life and honors the memory of people who have dealt with cancer," Kristin Langan said. Relay for Life will be held from 6 p.m., Aug. 2 to 8 a.m., Aug. 3 at the Mill Pond. The 14-hour event will include lighting luminaries dedicated to cancer victims, reading the names of the people the luminaries are dedicated to, and awarding the individual and team of people who raised the most money for Relay for Life. Luminaries can be purchased before and on the day of Relay for Life.

For more information about Relay for Life, contact Langan at 437-7226.

Amanda L. Rohde can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com