Henderson Lake Park was lit up with lanterns Saturday night as about 100 people took steps towards ending blood cancer. Carrying red lanterns to show support, gold in memory of those lost, and white for patients or survivors, the people walked to raise awareness and money for a cause.
“The point is to gather as a community to support those who have lost someone to blood cancer, to celebrate those that are survivors, and we’re here to support each other and bring awareness,” said Alison Duff, senior coordinator at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.
The third annual event in Lethbridge raised more than $20,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, which the society said will go towards blood cancer research and support programs for survivors, caregivers and patients.
“It’s actually the fourth most diagnosed cancer in Canada but most people don’t realize that because they break it into leukemias, lymphomas, myelomas,” Duff said.
“There’s actually 137 different sub-types of blood cancer.”
It’s events like these that gave cancer survivor Marty Vredegoor a second chance.
“The research that’s going into this is what’s saving lives, extending lives,” he said. “It’s giving us all a chance and a hope for tomorrow.”
“My daughter got married on July 27 of this year and I was there to walk her down the aisle and I know without the treatments and without all the wonderful care I’ve been given, that would’ve never [have] happened.”
Cancer survivor Vanessa Hengerer said she found out she had blood cancer 12 years ago.
“I’d been home for Christmas and I felt like I had a problem in my throat and I couldn’t breathe and I went into the doctor,” she said. “We did an X-ray, we did blood work and they told me I had cancer.
“I can’t even describe it, you feel like a loss — you’re not sure what to think anymore.”
Now, Hengerer has been cancer free for 11 years. For her, the walk is a celebration and a place to honour those lost.
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