As Melinda Wilson speaks to the crowd at Albury's Alexandra Park on Saturday night, much of her message will be encouraging people to trust themselves.

Ms Wilson's daughter, Ciara Ryan, 7, is the 2019 hero of Border Relay For Life, the Cancer Council fundraiser where teams walk laps of a track for 24 hours.

With about 1500 registered participants, and many more visitors, the annual relay aims to raise $375,000 this year towards cancer research and treatment.

Before even the first step, about 114 teams have already collected more than 40 per cent of this goal.

Ciara and her parents Melinda and Aidan, of Baranduda, will be among many walkers for whom the cancer fight is personal.

Not just once, but twice.

Ciara is still living with, as she'll tell you frankly, a tumour in her back, having been diagnosed with neuroblastoma aged only seven months.

Chemotherapy as a baby, major surgery when a toddler and close monitoring ever since have been Ciara's experiences, supported by her parents and three older sisters.

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And the youngster has continued to defy expectations, first of all to even walk, then to run, skip and dance.

For example, Mr Ryan said at first Ciara could only step over the hurdles at Little Athletics.

"And then by the end of the season she was actually jumping them," he said.

Ms Wilson said she felt both guilt that Ciara's cancer had not been picked up earlier and annoyance their concerns were not taken more seriously by health professionals.

"At times we were made to feel like overprotective parents who didn't know what they were talking about," she said.

"As much as we appreciate the doctors and we think that they're amazing - they've been wrong in many situations with her."

And then in 2017, after everything Ciara had gone through, Ms Wilson's own health caused concern.

"I just wasn't feeling right," she said.

"I kind of ignored it for a little bit, putting it down to side effects and changes.

"It was so scary taking that first step."

But that first step, which many people might avoid, was taken, a doctor consulted and tests carried out.

"Deep down I knew it was cancer," Ms Wilson said.

Endometrial cancer, in fact, with more upheaval for the family as she too headed for Melbourne for appointments and surgery.

"In all honesty, being told that I had cancer was just not in comparison to being told Ciara had it - that was still the worst day of my life," she said.

"Going through it with her made it easier for me to deal with."

Mr Ryan remembers this time as "probably more of a blur" for him as they dealt with the family's second cancer battle.

"It was a bit full-on," he said with a grim smile.

Two years later Ms Wilson is doing well, with three years still to go before being considered cancer-free.

"I feel good, I've had no complications, I've had no signs to suggest anything's wrong," she said.

Both mother and daughter were nominated as joint relay heroes, but Ms Wilson preferred to step back from this.

"On Saturday night when we're doing the speech, 90 per cent of it will be based on Ciara and I'll just briefly share," she said.

"My message is to listen to your body and just trust yourself."

The family will feature in the Hope Ceremony, a poignant annual relay highlight both not to be missed, yet tough to endure.

In a relay full of fighting spirit, this time points to cancer's heavy toll, with images of those lost to the disease shown on the big screen.

It ends with a lone piper leading a massed silent lap, so different from the noise and laughter heard for most of the day.

Border Relay For Life committee chairman Peter Whitmarsh said the relay aimed to be sometimes serious, but more often entertaining.

"We don't try and make it sad, but the Hope Ceremony is quite moving," he said.

"It's just such a memorable event."

Mr Whitmarsh spoke to The Border Mail from Alexandra Park on Friday as helpers set up the event's major infrastructure such as the main stage, big screen, toilets and marquees.

"At the moment, around the main stage area, there's contractors going everywhere," he said.

"It's all voluntary work, even our sponsors.

"Most of these people have helped us year in, year out."

After Saturday morning's opening ceremony at 9.30am, the first lap will be walked, as usual, by cancer survivors and carers.

Mr Whitmarsh said the relay had always honoured those who had survived the disease and the people who supported them.

"But, well, we need that third group that's sort of slipping between the cracks," he said.

"They're the fighters, they're the guys that are still going through that experience and we think they should be given true recognition as well."

From lap two, all participants are welcome to hit the track and complete as many, or as few, circuits as they wish.

Relay hero Ciara is aiming for 100 laps this weekend after clocking up 80 last year.

The schools lap of hope at 11am, where students walk proudly behind their school flags, proved a huge drawcard when introduced last year.

"There was an enormous influx of people around that time," Mr Whitmarsh said.

"I reckon there would have been probably an extra 2000 turned up, just mums, dads, aunts, uncles, nans, pops, siblings, all there cheering them on."

Other highlights of Saturday's program include the arrival of some superheroes at 1pm, the always-entertaining Miss Relay pageant and women's bra slinger challenge at 3pm and the men's and women's undies 100, safely tucked away at 11pm.

The kids zone will operate between 11am and 4pm, high tea is available from 11am to 3pm and live music and dancing will punctuate the day.

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Mr Whitmarsh laughed when reminded of the longest sunscreen application relay world record attempt set down for 11.15am.

"You know, we're going to get that record, because it doesn't exist," he said.

"There's some pretty serious rules which we have to comply with, but we'll make that happen and it will be great fun."

The plan to go where no sunscreen appliers had gone before came from a couple of other committee members.

"I'm still waiting for the details, they tell me it's going to be fine!" the chairman said with a grin.

Although one of the biggest, Border Relay For Life is not the only event taking place in Albury-Wodonga this weekend and Mr Whitmarsh knows not everyone can commit 24 hours.

"If you can't stay here the whole time, that's fine," he said.

"Come visit, come walk a few laps, it's just the community coming together, that's the big thing.

"Do a few laps, pat a few backs, it's really great."

Mr Whitmarsh felt the relay's wide range of participants and continued success reflected the reality that cancer affected everybody directly or indirectly.

And raising money to improve services and maybe one day wipe out the disease brought great satisfaction.

"It's an opportunity to give back to the community for myself and I think that's pretty damn important," the chairman said.

"And really, what else would you be doing which gives you as much inner pleasure?"

Mr Whitmarsh invited everyone with a spare hour or two to join the weekend's walkers at Alexandra Park.

"If you haven't been before, come and have a look, you're more than welcome, happy to have you along," he said.

"See what it's about, see the camaraderie which is here within the community and, yeah, have a great day."