Ronna Hewett was first diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in April 1995 while living in Toronto.

Although Princess Margaret is one of Canada’s foremost cancer centres, Vancouver was home and the place she would get her treatment.

After treatment, Hewett returned to Toronto and her career as a systems analyst until she relapsed two years later. She found herself again in Vancouver and after six months of intensive treatment and a bone marrow transplant, returned to Toronto until moving home to White Rock permanently in 2000.

This year, she's giving back at a local event.

Funds raised through the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada’s Light The Night Walk next month provide life-saving research and patient services programs.

“I have been given such an incredible gift and if I can contribute – even in a small way – to continued research there will be others like me who’ll be able to stand up and say, “'I’m a survivor – I’m a miracle!'” says Hewett. "If we all continue our support to programs like Light The Night someday there will be those who can say “'I’m cured!'”

Light The Night is the Society’s annual event held across North America in the fall to raise awareness and money for blood cancer research, as well as patient education and support.

Teams of co-workers, families, and friends walk together in twilight holding illuminated balloons – white for survivors, red for supports and gold for those walking in memory of their loved ones. The event includes music, refreshments and family activities.

“We’ve made tremendous progress in fighting blood cancers,” says Jason Campbell, executive director of the BC/Yukon Region. “But there are still so many people who need our help. We are grateful to all of our participants for supporting this lifesaving program.”

This year’s local walk will be held on Oct. 3 at the Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre. Event registration will begin at 5:30 p.m., the program begins at 6:30 p.m. and the walk begins at 7 p.m.

For additional information on Light The Night or to register, call Tanya Linau at 604-733-2873 ext. 24 or visit www.lightthenight.ca/bc