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Memory Board

Light The Night Memory Board

This is a space for Light The Night participants to share their favourite memories from past Light The Night Walks. To sumbit your most memorable moment, please e-mail your story to Elena Manica at elena.manica@lls.org.

"My favourite Light The Night memory was our first walk four years ago because my best friend, Kim, was cancer free and we could all walk together." - Amanda (Ajax)
"We knew we had wanted to do something for our mother's anniversary but we weren't quite sure what. It had been 20 years since our mother lost her brave battle to leukemia and we wanted to remember her in a big way that year. One of my sisters suggested the Light The Night walk. The entire idea was so perfect. Together, we formed "Team Tini" in honour of our mother, and collected pledges for LLSC. The team was made up of my siblings and their families, some of our friends and cousins and their families and my family. One of my sisters who lives out of the country wasn't able to join us, but was thinking of doing the walk in her area. That night, we gathered together and got ready to walk, decorating our banner, armed with our umbrellas and balloons, feeling strong and united. Not even the rain could bring us and all the walkers down! With our sister not with us though, we couldn't help but feel like something was missing. We took a group picture together and as we all smiled for the camera, our gazes swiftly caught the movement of a familiar face approaching. IT WAS OUR SISTER!!! She had decided to surprise us and join us for the walk! As you can imagine, it was a very emotional and exciting surprise and I know our mother would have been so happy that all of us were there together to walk in her honour and the honour of so many others who have been touched by blood cancers. The entire experience was absolutely amazing! We loved walking with such a united and hopeful group all for a common cause. I'm so excited for our team to do it again this year!" -Katrina (Scarborough)
"For me, Light The Night symbolizes a united front against a battle that can be so easily lost - blood cancer. I became involved with Light The Night when I was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. When I did my first walk, I was still undergoing chemotherapy. Now, I am healthy and have been in remission for three years. My team and I have walked every year since. We walk towards a cure!" - Kim (Toronto)
"The walk started at Nathan Philip?s Square. There were a TON of people, an awesome band playing to rev everyone up, a tent with kids activities, a tent with food and the weather was clear?.perfect! As soon as I got there I just started bawling. Just the simple sight of all those people gathering together for a common cause was enough to make me all weepy. Everyone was given a balloon with a little LCD bulb inside so that it would?ahem?light up the night. I was given a red balloon as a supporter and a white balloon for Reese as a cancer warrior. That of course got me all weepy again. Then there were the yellow balloons, for those who?ve lost someone. And we had a moment of silence for those who lost the fight. Yep, more weeping. I should clarify there was a lot of laughing and smiling and talking, there was a very positive vibe ? I wasn?t a complete blubbering sap the whole time! The route took us in front of Sick Kids. I?ve never experienced anything like it. The entire group, hundreds of us, gathered in front of Sick Kids. Up on the 8th floor, the oncology floor, at a huge window, were kids waving flashlights down to us. And we waved our balloons and cheered our faces off up to them. And yeah I bawled my eyes out! Even though I?ve been on that floor for days and weeks on end, even though I?ve stood at that very window many times, I was overcome with such emotion for those kids in there. A complete bitter sweet moment: so positive because the group was working to help find a cure for those kids but so frustrating because those kids shouldn?t be there in the first place. But again, there was such a positive vibe, a feeling of hope and optimism. In the end over $620,000 was raised to find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma. I hope they do!" - Amber (Toronto)
"It was my first time participating in Light The Night. Some fellow teachers and students accompanied a family from our school who lost their mom (who was also a colleague) to Lymphoma. I must say, it was probably one of the most moving moments in my life to walk by the Sick Kids Hospital and see those children with their flashlights in the windows. It was so touching seeing their little silhouettes, some with IV drips, etc. Some of the more "toughened" students I was walking with had tears in their eyes. It was quite a moment for me that I will never forget. I think it was the most important part of that walk and a further reminder of why we were all out there on that chilly night." Thank you. -Kathleen (Toronto)
"This was my first year participating in the "Light the Night" walk. I decided to participate because my 11 year old daughter Michaela was diagnosed with AML on Sept. 20 of this year. My favorite memory from the walk was when we stopped in front of Sick Kids hospital. We have been staying there on the 8th floor ever since diagnosis and I know Michaela was up there shining her flashlight down on us. I felt very proud to be a part of such an important night." - Lisa ( Brampton)
"I had many great memories from walk night. My favorite was to see Tanya's (team captain of Tanya's Shimmer Of Hope) face and how much she knew at that moment people really cared and loved her. She knew we wished her well in any new adventure she might do. This young lady was so brave and so special. She gave all of us many laughs. Tanya has shown to be a very special angel for all of us. Flashing your flashlight at the children in Sick Kids Hospital made you sad, but I hope it gave those children just a little bit of hope that the fight is on and they will win!" - Pat (Toronto)