WASHINGTON – Carol and Michael Beagan of Old Town never volunteered for anything until 1992, when they joined the American Cancer Society for a local march.

Carol Beagan, who lost her father to colon cancer and her brother to lung cancer, was recovering from breast cancer that year. The couple has participated in every annual relay since, raising thousands of dollars for the cause.

This year has been especially emotional, as their niece, a 31-year-old single mother, died of lung cancer in March, leaving behind her two young children. On Thursday, the Beagans were in Washington for the first national Relay for Life, in which representatives from each state march continuously for 24 hours around the Capitol reflecting pool.

“We need to find a cure and the only way is to get money from Congress, and that’s why we’re here,” said Carol Beagan, 64.

The Beagans joined thousands of “community ambassadors” from all 50 states on the Mall. Smiling survivors, caregivers and volunteers clad in bright purple shirts marched to upbeat music, including “I Will Survive,” and gathered under state-themed tents.

Democratic U.S. Rep. John Baldacci said it was great to see Mainers taking time out to volunteer and be part of the greater good in “making sure we get rid of this ugly disease.”

“Sheer numbers are going to make a difference in Congress,” said Anne Palmer of Belfast, a 61-year-old breast cancer survivor.

Palmer came to the Capitol to help urge Congress to increase funds for nationally-based research groups such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the NIH’s National Cancer Institute.

The nondiscriminating disease kills thousands of people, young and old, and sometimes follows bloodlines. Anna Lyon of Wayne, who has lost several family members to cancer, said more could be done and that this was the place where it could happen.

Between the march and an evening candle-lighting “luminaria” ceremony, the volunteers made time to meet with members of the Maine congressional delegation.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins hopes to combat cancer through bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. The National Cancer Act of 2002, now under consideration in Congress, would give a 15 percent spending increase to the NCI for biomedical research in fiscal 2003 and an additional 10 percent increase in following years.

“I feel strongly about keeping that investment going for years and years to come,” said Collins, wearing the red lobster ears the Maine participants had given her.

Maine volunteers would like cancer to become preventable and curable. Carol Beagan’s support group at the Bangor YWCA has lost more than 30 people to cancer in the past 10 years. She said these numbers are high but that treatments are improving with additional research.

The ambassadors want Thursday’s call to action to lead to increased national spending on research that will help reduce those numbers.