The Savannah Office of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Georgia Chapter announced that the 18th Annual Savannah Light The Night Walk, held on Friday, November 18th at Forsyth Park, drew over 1,000 participants and raised $200,000 for the organization. The walk was originally to be held in October and was rescheduled due to Hurricane Matthew.  Light The Night encourages teams of families, friends, co-workers and local and national corporations to come together to raise funds for LLS. This was the last of four Light The Night Walks held in the state of Georgia this fall.  As inspiration for the Walk, LLS selected one honored hero and one remembered hero, who have fought blood cancers.

Savannah’s 2016 Honored Hero was Katherine Welch, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on October 1st, 2015, while 22 weeks pregnant with her first child.  Katherine underwent chemotherapy while pregnant and spent the rest of her pregnancy in the hospital.  She received over 40 blood platelet transfusions during this time.  On November 5, 2015, Katherine got the great news that she was in remission!  Her miracle baby, Michael, was born on New Year’s Day, and was in perfect health. Unfortunately, Katherine learned on October 10th that she has relapsed and will be receiving a bone marrow transplant this fall.
 
Savannah’s 2016 Remembered Hero was Candy Frawley.  Candy was married to Mike, the love of her life, in 1970.  Together they had two children and one grandchild.  In May of 2013, Candy was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.  She fought tirelessly against not only her form of cancer, but to raise awareness and funds for blood cancers in general.  Before passing away in July of 2015, she had already raised over $100,000 for LLS – most in memory of her son Kevin who passed away from Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in 2007.  Candy had a passion for animals and was a talented artist who loved to paint, draw and create many beautiful and different pieces.  But most of all, Candy was a wonderful friend who was loved by many for her kind and giving nature.
 
“We are honored to have had the opportunity to recognize Katherine and Candy at our Walk this year. Light The Night is about communities coming together to raise funds to cure blood cancers, and to also bring help and hope to those in the midst of their battle.   We are thankful to all of our teams, sponsors, volunteers, and especially the cancer survivors and families of those who walk in memory of a loved one who has passed away from cancer.  It takes all of us, together, to Light The Night towards a cure,” said William Lee, III, Chairman of the 2016 Savannah Light The Night Walk for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Georgia Chapter.
 
The 2016 Savannah Light The Night Walk was generously sponsored by: Enmarket, Curtis & Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial University Medical Center, Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah, Thomas & Hutton, Brasseler USA, JE Dunn Construction, Seacrest Partners, Cordasco & Company, Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems and Georgia Ports Authority.
 
Funds raised will be used to support lifesaving blood cancer research, free educational materials for patients and families, and comprehensive, personalized assistance through LLS’s Information Resource Specialists.  Last year, nearly $60 million was raised through Light The Night Walks in approximately 200 communities in North America and Canada.