This Friday, September 12, my family will be walking as a team in Kansas City's Light the Night Walk for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.The organization is close to my heart for several reasons. One, I worked there and know firsthand the good work they do. Not only do they raise money for research, trying to find a cure and put an end to blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma), but they also provide outstanding patient services at the local level to those living with blood cancers, including financial aid, support groups and educational programs.
The second reason I walk in Light the Night is that my grandpa died of leukemia 15 years ago, and sadly, the stats haven't changed much since then. Despite the good work that the Society has done, hundreds of thousands of people are still diagnosed with blood cancers every year. Treatment and understanding of the diseases have improved, but still, every 10 minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer.
Light the Night is a nationwide fundraising event that celebrates and commemorates lives touched by cancer. Participants walk along a 2-3 mile course while carrying illuminated balloons – white for survivors, red for supporters and gold for teams walking in memory of a loved one.
My hope – and the hope of everyone who walks in Light the Night – is that someday, we will no longer have a reason for this event. If you’d like to join the fight against blood cancers, you can donate to my team here. Every dollar counts – so a BIG THANK YOU to anyone who can help!
