Lighting up the night

On October 22, Dalhousie community members will be taking to the streets to 'Light the Night' and help find a cure for blood cancers.

Light the Night, a fundraiser organized by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, takes place in 240 locations across North America. The fundraiser began in the United States in 1999 and held its first Canadian event in 2005.

Dalhousie will be participating as a gold sponsor in Halifax’s first-ever Light the Night, and the university has also picked the event as its charity of choice for Homecoming weekend.

Homecoming with heart

This year is Dalhousie’s second Homecoming—a time where alumni, students, faculty, and staff can participate in a program of shared activities. Director of Alumni Engagement Michael Perry says that, “supporting a charity event is a fantastic way to expand [the university’s] connections with the local community.”

Mr. Perry explains that the sheer number of Canadians affected by blood cancer make Light the Night “a very worthy cause” for sponsorship. With over 90,000 people in our country living with, or in remission from, a blood cancer, “it is a disease with which many individuals in the Dalhousie community have some connection.”

“Our goal is to assist in raising the profile for the first year of this event in Halifax,” states Mr. Perry, hoping that Dalhousie’s participation will increase support for the cause throughout the community.

Each Light the Night campaign has a survivor or patient who acts as a spokesperson, and Halifax’s honoured patient is Dal alumnus Ryan Joudrey. Fellow alum, and Dalhousie staff member, Leslie Crowell is the Corporate Walk Chair for the event.

Bright beginnings

Light the Night consists of a 5K walk that starts at the Halifax Commons and follows a route around the downtown area, looping through the Dalhousie campus in the process. Participants will carry different coloured illuminated balloons: red for supporters, white for patients and survivors, and gold in memory of loved ones.

“One of our main goals was to have a university participate,” says campaign coordinator Samantha Warshick. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada just opened its first Atlantic Canada Region office in Halifax in January 2011. Ms. Warshick explains that the Atlantic Canadian office hopes to use Light the Night to let people know that they are here, that they are working toward finding a cure, and that they wish to offer a support system to the community.

Light the Night is one of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s three major campaigns. The other two are Team in Training, which provides support for those who wish to hit fundraising goals through participation in full and half marathons, and School and Youth, which organizes penny drives as part of an awareness campaign.

Ms. Warshick says that Light the Night is a unique event because, “most walks happen in the daytime,” and that Halifax’s first Light the Night is doubly unique because, “it is one of only two urban walks in Canada.”

Many feet make Light the Night work

All the money raised in Halifax will stay within Atlantic Canada and fund research for a cure for blood cancers, while also facilitating support groups, one-on-one peer mentoring, and training for health care professionals.

Dalhousie is one of just under 50 teams this year that is already registered for Light the Night, with total participation across all teams at more than 400 walkers. “Seeing everyone’s commitment to the cause is really exciting,” says Ms. Warshick.

Those interested in supporting the cause who cannot attend the event can still make a donation to purchase a balloon. To donate or register visit the Dalhousie team's webpage. There is no fundraising minimum so anyone who wishes to support the cause and increase awareness can walk.

Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. on the 22nd, with the walk proper starting at 7 p.m. at the Commons. For more information on Light the Night, visit http://www.lightthenight.ca/.