Photo credit: Savoie Photography
The community of Lethbridge took steps towards finding a cure for blood cancer and brought light to cancer research on Sept. 21 at Henderson Lake Park.
The Light the Night Walk event was hosted by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC) to raise money for further research and support resources for blood cancer patients and families.
Last year, the Light the Night Walk raised over $2.8 million throughout the 12 cities across Canada that hosted the fundraising event.
Alison Duff, LLSC’s Senior Coordinator said the walk allows patients, survivors and supporters to feel connected as well as letting them know they are not alone.
“Generally, we walk for someone or in memory of someone and we get together and we share our stories. We believe in the hope that there will be an end to blood cancer,” she said.
Duff also mentioned the Light the Night walk has continued to grow over the last few years, especially within southern Alberta. Last year, the event saw about 50 pre-registered participants in Lethbridge, but this year roughly 80 participants signed up as a pre-registered walker.
According to the Light the Night website, over 35,000 supporters gather across Canada every year with efforts to raise funds for blood cancer research and support programs for patients, survivors and caregivers.
Light the Night 2019 Hero, Marty Vredejoor was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in 2016. He was quickly admitted to Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary and begin treatments.
By January 2017, Vredejoor was in remission. Unfortunately, this did not last long, as he was out of remission by September and had to undergo a stem cell transplant in January 2018.
He did not have siblings that were a match for him and he said he had to depend on someone else to donate the stem cells.
Vredejoor said he is grateful to still be here and takes each day as a blessing. He said the community needs to be able to pull together to help those suffering and events such as Light the Night is a great way to bring hope to patients.
“It feels good to be here and to be able to actually stand here and see all the beautiful work that everyone has put together,” Vredejoor said.
Vredejoor said he is happy he is able to be a part of the Light the Night walk this year and give back to those that have helped him along his journey.
The 2018 Light the Night Hero, Vanessa Hengerer fought Non-Hodgkin’s disease and developed a fist-sized tumor in her chest. She was able to battle it through seven doses of chemotherapy and is now heavily involved in the Light the Night committee.
Hengerer said the most rewarding part of being involved in the event is the people she has met.
“It is so neat to come together, whether it’s as the committee or as survivors of the community,” she said.
Participants who donated $100 or more received a lantern to hold during the Light the Night Walk. Lanterns were available in three different colours to represent their reason for walking. Red lanterns symbolized support, white symbolized patients and survivors and gold represented those who are walking in memory of a loved one.
Donations towards blood cancer research and 2020 Light the Night walker registrations can be made at the lightthenight.ca.