WINONA LAKE - A corporate kickoff breakfast for the sixth annual "Light The Night Walk" was held Thursday morning.
Approximately 25 people attended the breakfast, hosted by Dr. Dane Miller, at the Boathouse Restaurant, Winona Lake.
The money raised will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for research into curing blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma.
Individuals and teams raise funds prior to the event. Local cancer patients serve as honored heroes, inspiring walkers to raise funds by sharing their stories of survival and hope.
This year's "Light The Night Walk" will be held Sept. 20 at Rodeheaver Auditorium.
The event will include a program at 7 p.m., and a one-mile walk around Winona Lake at 7:20 p.m.
Participants will walk carrying red balloons, representing cancer supporters, and white balloons, representing cancer survivors. The balloons will have lights inside them that can be turned on and off with a switch on the battery pack.
More than 1,000 cancer supporters and survivors attended last year's walk in Winona Lake. Forty-two teams raised more than $56,000, according to Ben Woodcox, walk chair.
This year's goals is to raise $67,000.
Woodcox said his brother was diagnosed with leukemia at a young age, and he saw the devastation the disease had on his family.
"People don't need a personal story to get involved in the walk," Woodcox said.
Those who attended the kickoff breakfast watched a video about the national walk and picked up team packet information.
The walk also will be held in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend and Lafayette.
Jason Slone, a Warsaw resident who is an engineer at Biomet, is this year's walk honoree. He spoke about his battle with Hodgkin's Disease.
Slone originally was diagnosed with having an infected lymph duct, but later was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at age 26.
His father battled two brain tumors when Slone was born and when he was 18 years old.
"My father was my role model, the thought of not making it through my battle never crossed my mind because I wanted to take measures to get better," Slone said.
He said his wife, Amy, and Biomet were supportive with his battle with the disease.
"I'm a problem-solver at heart, but God knew he had to give me a problem I couldn't solve myself," Slone said.
In August 2003, he finished chemotherapy and was 95 percent cured and has been in remission.
To register a team and get team packet information, call Woodcox at 574-268-1276, Ext. 2906.
