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E-mail This StoryThe Frisco skyline will be lined with glowing balloons Saturday as thousands of people are expected to participate in Light the Night, a 2.3-mile walk to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Light the Night will make its second appearance in Frisco from 5 to 8 p.m. at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Events are also scheduled this year in Tyler, Ft. Worth, Wichita Falls, and Dallas, with the North Texas region expected to draw 4,000 participants and $1.2 million in funds.
“[The organization] did smaller events (around) the Metroplex this year to get specific communities involved,” Light the Night spokeswoman Lauren Fletcher said. “They have good information about blood diseases, because they are more and more prevalent.”
More than 138,500 people in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma this year, according to information from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They will comprise about 9.6 percent of new cancers in 2008.
The society also reports that someone dies from a blood cancer every ten minutes, with the disease claiming 52,910 lives in the United States each year. Leukemia is the leading cause of cancer death for individuals younger than 20 years old.
Funds from the 10th annual Light the Night will go toward research for better therapies and cures for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
The event will include educational information about blood cancers, live music, presentations, food, and a slow-paced walk for participants of all athletic abilities. Walkers will carry balloons fitted with tiny lights to create a glowing effect after the sun sets.
Several blood cancer survivors, their families, and other supporters are expected to participate in the walk.
Fletcher attended the recent event in Dallas, and said that the evening is well worth a trip to the ballpark.
“It was really cool to see all of the people out there walking down the street with a lit balloon,” she said. “It was a really positive event.”
For information on Light the Night, visit www.LightTheNight.org.
