Some people walk for a parent, some for their brother or sister, some for a grandparent, some for a friend and some just because they want to raise awareness.
Yesterday, Saint Mary's College hosted the Light the Night Walk to help raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Participants help not only raise money, but also awareness about the diseases.
This is the third year the College has hosted the event. The course of the walk starts outside of LeMans Hall and runs throughout the campus.
Last year, about 500 people participated and Saint Mary's teams alone raised more than $2,000.
The event can be quite emotional, especially for survivors of the disease and their families.
"The event packs quite an emotional punch … seeing the posters and banners people carry is very moving," Carolyne Call, director of the Office for Civic and Social Engagement at Saint Mary's College said. "There's a great deal of love and hope expressed through this event."
Call said the College is proud to host the event and help in any way possible.
"[It] allows us to demonstrate some solidarity with those struggling with cancer," she said.
Junior Sarah Weber, who lost her father, said the Walk is an excellent way to help raise awareness and inform people about the deadly diseases. Although she was unable to walk this year, Weber's friends walked in her father's memory.
"The blood cancers are so aggressive and we're never told the signs to look for, so it is so important that we raise awareness," she said. "Light the Night Walk is a perfect way to do this."
