Progressively chillier breezes did nothing to cool the enthusiasm of the thousands of cancer survivors and their supporters converged on Washington's National Mall for Celebration on the Hill Wednesday evening. As the sun set over the Washington Monument and darkness approached, many in the crowd kept warm by walking the Relay For Life track around the Capitol Reflecting Pool and grooving to tunes performed by dozens of singers and bands on the main stage.

Others wandered through the Wall of Hope, a massive structure on the Mall showcasing 5,000 banners signed by millions of Relay For Life participants and supporters around the United States. Exactly how massive? If each of the banners were placed end to end, they would stretch 85 times the length of the Washington Monument, organizers say.

"It's been awe-inspiring," said Paul Richards, a survivor of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He came from Massachusetts as a Celebration "Ambassador," tasked with pressing members of Congress to increase funding for cancer research and programs. "It is amazing seeing all these names, but it shouldn't be surprising. Everybody has been touched by cancer."

Even people who weren't participating in the event found inspiration in the Wall of Hope.

"It's powerful," said Modya Silver, who was visiting Washington from Toronto and stumbled upon the display while sightseeing. "Its impact grows as you walk down from the entrance."

"It's the reaction Celebration organizers were counting on.

"The Relay For Life Wall of Hope represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day, cancer will be eliminated," said Dan Smith, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s (ACS CAN) national vice president of federal and government relations. ACS CAN, a sister organization of the American Cancer Society, organized Celebration on the Hill.

"Tonight our Wall of Hope represents our commitment, our passion, our determination, and most importantly, our unified message of hope," Smith declared as a huge spotlight in the center of Wall was illuminated. This "Beam of Hope," as organizers have dubbed it, adds another dimension by sending the beacon several hundred feet in the air for people to see all around the District of Columbia.

A more poignant display of light as a symbol of hope took place at the end of the evening, when an estimated 17,000 luminaria were lit.

Throughout the day, American Cancer Society volunteers and staff had been filling white paper bags with sand and a tea light and lining them up 7 deep along the steps surrounding the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Each bag, purchased by people attending Celebration on the Hill, bore the name of someone fighting cancer or someone who had lost their battle with the disease; some also carried personal messages of love and remembrance.

The ceremony is a standard feature of Relay For Life rallies everywhere. In DC, the lighting of the luminaria served as an emotional capstone for the 2-day event and was greatly anticipated by many participants. As with many Celebration activities, the luminaria event had an impact well beyond its physical location. For Wendy Herbst it was part of her plan. The Wallingford, Connecticut, resident was planning to light her luminaria at the same time as her husband and 2 daughters lit candles in a parallel ceremony back home.

The crowd, boisterous during most of the day, grew reflective as the candles were lit. Many were moved to tears.

The evening ended with inspiring words from John Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. Calling the event a milestone in cancer advocacy, he thanked the thousands of participants for their commitment.

"You made a real and lasting difference for our cause," he said, noting that every member of Congress had been visited and 310 had signed the Congressional Cancer Promise. "You put faces on cancer -- the faces of the people who are living with it and the faces of the people who have devoted their lives to eliminating it. How could such a feat fail to have enormous political potential?"

Survivors like Paul Richardson are counting on that.

"This country can do amazing things, anything it commits it mind to and its resources to," he said. "In 2015 my grandson will be 10 years old and my hope and my prayer and what I'm working for is that he never has to deal with this disease."