Light The Night Walk Kickoff Held At BoathouseWINONA LAKE - A corporate kickoff breakfast was held Wednesday morning for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk.
The kickoff was held at Boathouse Restaurant, Winona Lake.
This year's walk is Sept. 23 at Rodeheaver Auditorium, Winona Lake. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m.
Dane Miller and Steve Miller are this year's corporate walk chairs.The walk raises funds for blood cancer research for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, according to Ivy Hamstra, Light The Night campaign coordinator.
Attendees raise funds for blood cancer research prior to the walk. On the evening of the walk, participants walk along a one- to two-mile route carrying illuminated balloons - white for survivors, red for supporters and gold for individuals or teams walking in memory of someone.
Vanessa Barber, 33, Winona Lake, and Rachel Doyle, 6, Warsaw, are this year's walk honorees.
During Wednesday's breakfast, Barber shared her story of her battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma disease. She was diagnosed with it last January and has been in remission since June.
"Cancer has changed my life and my family's life, but we learned how to eat more healthily by working with a dietician and not eat processed foods," Barber said.
Barber said the walk is a way for her to celebrate that she made it into remission and celebrate her family's and friends' support and give back.
Her friends and family team was the top fundraising team last year for the walk, and she said she looks forward to participating in this year's walk and is proud to be a walk honoree.
Hodgkin's lymphoma has a 90 percent cure rate. She said she feels better than she ever has due to the family's lifestyle changes.
Barber, who is employed at Lake City Bank, has a husband, Josh, and two sons, Jarod, 11, and Tyler, 7.
Tony, a paramedic for Multi-Township EMS, spoke about his daughter Rachel's battle with leukemia. Rachel was unable to attend the kickoff because she was at school.
Rachel, 6, a kindergartner at Harrison Elementary School, was diagnosed in 2006 with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma leukemia and was 2-1/2 at the time. She has been in remission for a year.
Tony said his daughter began having trouble walking and blood tests were given to his daughter. She went to Riley Children's Hospital to receive treatments after being diagnosed with leukemia.
The first three months of the treatment, the family was making weekly trips to the hospital for chemotherapy, bone marrow biopsies and spinal taps.
"That was probably one of the most stressful times of my life. I couldn't eat and it seemed our lives were turned upside down," Tony said.
Tony said there is a 95 percent or higher cure factor for the disease, but there is a 26-month treatment program.
He said there has been a large support from family and friends, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has helped the family with transportation costs to and from Riley Children's Hospital.
Last year the Doyles won an award for raising the most funds for a friends and family team.
Rachel and her father will participate in this year's walk as well as Rachel's mother, Faith, sister, Sarah, and brother, Adam.
In 2009, participants raised more than $35,000 to fight blood cancers, and this year's goal is to raise $40,000.
To register teams for the walk, go to www.lightthenight.org or e-mail Hamstra at ivy.hamstra@lls.org
