LEWISTON — “It’s a beautiful day to save a life.”

That phrase, printed on bright pink T-shirts worn by one of the Dempsey Challenge teams at Saturday’s run/walk event, summed up the sentiments of thousands of people at the sixth annual fundraiser for the Patrick Dempsey Center for Hope and Healing.

Opening under bright sun and temperatures climbing to the 80s, the event caps a hugely successful period in which this year’s pledges of financial support across the country will total well over $1 million. The six-year total is expected to top $6 million by Sunday afternoon.

Patrick Dempsey, Turner native and well-known actor on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” who founded the event, told the crowd at the starting line of the 5K and 10K runs and walks, “This is one of the most important days of my life.”

He and sisters Mary Dempsey, who is assistant director of the Center, and Alicia, thanked the crowd for their expressions of sympathy. Six months ago, their mother, Amanda Dempsey, died. She was a multiple-cancer survivor for whom the Center was established.

Bates College, winner of the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Challenge Cup last year, repeated the feat this year. The 163 team members at the three Maine colleges raised more than $35,000. That became $73,000 thanks to matching funds from the Positive Tracks program. the Bates students alone raised $21,000.

Accepting the gold CBB cup for Bates at opening ceremonies were Hillary Throckmorton of Bangor, Morgan Lee of Guilford, Conn., and Sophie Pellegrini of Potomac, Md.

A group of cyclists who rode more than 1,500 miles from South Carolina also were recognized at the opening ceremonies.

Dempsey gave generously of his time at the starting line stage. He joked and chatted with the waiting crowd of 5K and 10K runners and walkers as the clock approached the 7 a.m. start time, and he stayed around to sign autographs and pose for pictures.

It was a happy crowd and many had come dressed creatively for the run/walk. The “Wizards of Odd” team included a witch and a scarecrow. The Pink Angels wore feathery pink boas and there were many imaginative combinations of shirts, skirts and accessories.

Crowds filled Simard-Payne Memorial Park, the event’s center of activity, by 8 a.m. It was the location of the finish line where hundreds of people completing the course were recognized by name on the loudspeakers.

Fashion took many forms and plenty of imagination went into team-naming and T-shirt design.

Lots of shirts identified the wearer’s family relationship on the back. Some members of Team Paulette were spotted with “Mom” and “Son-in-Law” shirts. There were similar identifiers on the shirts of the Michelle’s Minions team, and several others.

Florida Maniacs was the name of the team with T-shirts proclaiming a “beautiful day for saving a life.” That ten-person team was half from Florida and half from Maine, according to Maureen Fisher of Auburn and Tampa, Fla. She said she had attended school in Maine with Patrick Dempsey, and she brought her daughter, Carly Fisher, 15, to the Challenge to meet Dempsey.

Carly had her picture taken with the TV star, and she said excitedly, “It’s already all over Facebook.”

The Amgen “Breakaway from Cancer” Survivor Walk at 11 a.m. Sunday was led by Nel Bernard of Poland, a four-time melanoma survivor. He is the winner of the 2014 Amanda Dempsey Award.

Hundreds of cancer survivors and their supporters marched at the Festival in the Park. The line of marchers was often four or five abreast and it extended several hundred feet around the park’s perimeter.

Many of the men, women and children in the Survivor Walk carried yellow or orange roses. Some marchers carried posters with pictures. One marcher’s shirt read, “Year 5, Still Alive.”

Another marcher who wore a “chemo turban” pushed a stroller with a sign on the front which read, “I survived Mommy’s chemo treatment.” Mommy’s four-month-old daughter slept soundly through all the loud music and festive sounds.

“Superheroes” was the theme of a Kids’ Fun Run sponsored by Auburn Firefighters Local 797. Dozens of children, mostly of pre-school or elementary school age, ran the short course in the run/walk staging area on Oxford Street. Superman was the most popular costume, with other youngsters dressing as Batman, Spider-Man, ninjas and Wonder Woman. Every child received a medal.

Sunday’s Dempsey Challenge opening ceremony will be at 6:45 a.m. At 7:30 a.m., hundreds of cyclists will take part in rides of 10, 25, 50, 70 and 100 miles.

Participants over the two days come from 34 states and six countries. A majority of them have taken part in the Challenge in previous years.

The Festival in the Park activities continue Sunday with the TD Bank KidZone area; bungee jumping and wall climbing; the Concentra Health and Wellness Expo; a Spirit of Hope Tent; food trucks; a massage and Reiki tent; vendors; Gritty McDuff’s and Baxter Brewing Beer Garden; and live entertainment on the main stage.

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