Hundreds Attend Light The Night Walk In Winona Lake
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE - Hundreds turned out Thursday night to walk in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual Light The Night Walk in Winona Lake.
The walk was to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for blood cancer research.
The society's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
Rachel Doyle, 6, and Vanessa Barber, 33, served as walk honorees.
There were 25 teams and approximately 300 people who participated and raised more than $35,000 that will be donated to the society.
The top friends and family fundraising team was Sean Hamilton's team; the top 2010 corporate team was Biomet; and the top individual fundraiser was Amy Allison, Biomet team captain.
Doyle and her parents, Tony and Faith, and Vanessa Barber had the opportunity to speak to those who attended about how leukemia has affected their families.
A program was held at Rodeheaver Auditorium prior to the one-mile walk around Winona Lake.
Doyle is a first-grader at Harrison Elementary School. She walked with her family on her team, Rachel's Walkers.
Doyle was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in December 2006. She spent six days at Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis.
During her 26 months of treatment she made weekly and monthly trips to Riley Outpatient Cancer Treatment Center.
Since February 2009, Doyle has been in remission. She will have blood tests and exams for the next five years to monitor and make sure her leukemia does not return.
"Instead of falling apart, we pulled together. We are a very close family today," said Faith.
Faith said her daughter was given a 90 to 95 percent cure rate. Her daughter currently goes to Lutheran Hospital for blood work and checkups every other month.
Doyle also is a part of a national study to find out the long-term effects of chemo on young children.
Barber was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2009 and has been cancer-free for more than a year. She walked on her team, Team Vanna, Thursday night.
"I have learned to not become a victim, and have become stronger as a person, and it has brought my family closer," Barber said.
Barber said funds need to be raised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to find cures for blood cancer so life can be celebrated.Steve Miller, Kosciusko Community Hospital CEO, spoke during the program.
Miller said since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $750 million in research to find cures for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and Hodgkin's disease.
Miller thanked presenting sponsors, the Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation; supporting sponsors, Biomet and Beacon Credit Union; and gold sponsors, Paragon Medical, Symmetry Medical, Zimmer, Genesis Management and KCH.
