The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada celebrates an evening of solidarity at The Light The Night Walk in Toronto
TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2015 /CNW/ - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada's (LLSC) Ontario Region will celebrate its 11th annual Light The Night® Walk on Wednesday October 21 at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto at 5:00 pm.
The special star of this year's Toronto walk is 9-year-old Justin Cunha. On April 1st, 2014 Justin was diagnosed with stage 3 Burkitts Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of non Hodgkin's lymphoma, whereby tumors form and grow at an alarmingly rapid pace. The treatment plan was relatively straightforward. Surgery to remove the mass and six to seven months of aggressive chemotherapy, equating to nine cycles of chemotherapy every 21-24 days depending on how his body recovered between each cycle. Justin was a brave patient despite all he was going through. Justin finished his last dose of chemo two weeks prior to the 2014 Light The Night walk and was still very much in recovery the night of. That didn't stop him; he was inspired by all the messages, well wishes and the support of all those who came out that evening. Today Justin is feeling great.
This year, as Honoured Hero, Justin will provide inspiration and support to Light The Night participants, volunteers and staff. He will be joined by 8000 of participants as they carry illuminated lanterns – white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. Anyone big, small, young or old can shine a light on the importance of finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients.
Light The Night is LLSC's annual walk and fundraising event, and the nation's night to pay tribute and bring hope to people battling cancer. Friends, families and co-workers form fundraising teams and raise funds to support the LLSC mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma; and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. These efforts culminate in inspirational, memorable evening walks in nearly 200 communities across North America each fall.
LLSC and its US affiliate, LLS, are the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to finding cures for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood cancers. Through its efforts it has invested more than $1 billion in cutting-edge research to advance therapies. Thanks to research, survival rates for patients with many blood cancers have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled since the early 1960s.
To form a team or to learn more, please call 647-253-5532 or visit www.lightthenight.ca .
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLSCanada.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
Ontario Region
804-2 Lansing Square
Toronto, ON
M2J 4P8
SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
Felicitas Adrian, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, 647-253-5526, [email protected]
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