Every 3 minutes, one person in the United State is diagnosed with blood cancer – and blood cancers can become deadly if not detected early on.

This is a cause that has affected my family and I significantly, since my dad was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia with the Philadelphia Chromosome when I was in high school. After numerous tests and treatments, he now has been in remission for 6 years. This experience has made me become an active volunteer within the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, because this not only affects the person diagnosed but also leaves a huge impact on the family, as well.

Every year the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society hold a ‘Light the Night’ Walk, which helps create awareness about blood cancer, honor survivors and remember loved ones that were lost.

Light the NightLight the Night is a little different from other cancer walks, as this walk starts when the sun sets. The idea behind the walk is to shine a light on the importance of finding cures and providing treatments for blood cancer patients. During the walk, everyone participating receives a lantern to walk with, where each color means something different:

A gold lantern means a loved one is being remembered

A white lantern means they are a survivor

A red lantern means you are there supporting the cause

This year the ‘Light the Night’ walk was held on October 18th in Long Branch, NJ – and the turnout this year was double the previous year! The walk allows survivors to celebrate with family and friends, as well as hear stories from other survivors. It also allows families and friends to remember and honor loved ones that they have lost from blood cancer.

The teams that participated in the Long Branch walk raised $173,994 and are continuing to raise money until the end of the year. This year our team ‘Notorious CURE’ raised over $2,000 for the cause – and we couldn’t be happier!

If you would like to know more about the Light the Night Walk or more information on Leukemia and Lymphoma please visit http://www.lls.org/.

About the Author

Gina Orlando is the Marketing Manager at PCG and is passionate about learning new things and keeping up with the latest marketing, social media, and pop culture trends. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to country music, online shopping, and anything chocolate.