The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, Ontario Region, has announced support from leading business and community leaders Mark Barrenchea, CEO of OpenText Corp, and Ted Moroz, president of Beer Store, for the organization’s upcoming “Light the Night Walk” signature fundraiser.
“The Light The Night Walk is an inspiring and meaningful event for those who are touched by blood cancers and it is thanks in part to the leadership of volunteers like Barrenechea and Moroz that the event has grown immensely over the last decade, not just in Toronto, but in 11 major cities from coast to coast,” said LLS Canada’s Ontario Regional Director Sandra Harris, in a press release.
It is estimated that a blood cancer diagnosis is delivered in Canada every 25 minutes, making blood cancer the fourth most frequent cancer diagnosis among men and women in Canada. In 2014 alone, leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma accounted for 10% of the nation’s approximately 191,300 new cancer cases.
In support of the Oct. 19 Light the Night Walk, at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Moroz and Barrenechea will walk the 3km-long route through downtown streets while carrying bright lanterns that “light the night” for people touched by blood cancers.
“This is a cause that is very personal to me,” said Barrenechea, co-chair of the event. “My life has been changed by my personal journey with leukemia and I have come out stronger. I now have the opportunity to provide hope and support to others on their journeys and help them along their path. I am extremely proud to have the OpenText team walking with me and supporting this cause.”
UFCW LOCAL 12R24 together with the Beer Store, has long supported LLS Canada through several activities. They raised more than $11 million in the last decade.
“Being a part of Light the Night Walk is just an extension of our family,” said Moroz, who is returning for the second year as event co-chair. “I have seen firsthand why the walk is so important to people who are affected by a blood cancer and I want to do whatever I can to make sure the event touches as many people as possible.”
More than 35,000 Canadians helped raise $5.5 million in 2015 alone by attending “Light the Night Walks” across the country. The money funds world-class researchers who work on the most innovative and promising projects to improve treatments, or find cures, for blood cancers. The financial help allows LLS to continue to provide free information and support services to patients and caregivers.
