Area’s First Light The Night Walk  Set For Sept. 24 In Danbury

The Newtown chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Fairfield County has been busy planning for the 2005 Light the Night Walk that will be held at WestConn’s western campus in Danbury on Saturday, September 24, at 6 pm.

“What makes this event so special is that this is the first time a site was chosen in our area,” said Ginny Chion, an organizer with the Newtown chapter.

The purpose of this national fundraising campaign is to commemorate and celebrate lives touched by cancer. The walks will take place in 21 cities throughout the New York metropolitan region and more than 400 nationally in 2005.

Other sites scheduled in Fairfield County include Trumbull High School on September 30 and Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk on September 29.

The walk is a two- to three-mile noncompetitive evening walk. Patients and survivors carry white illuminated balloons while all other participants carry red ones. The illuminated balloons make a beautiful and inspiring sight as thousands walk together with co-workers, friends, and family. During this event, participants also are invited to share in food, live entertainment, and fun.

“I have been involved with this society since 2000 when my 16-year-old son was diagnosed with AML Leukemia,” Mrs Chion said. “He died on October 26, 2000, at the age of 17 and 3 months.”

Emily Montoya, a student at Hawley School, is a survivor, as well as Christina Ercole, a student at Newtown High School. This year a first grader, Reilly O’Neill from Middle Gate School, was diagnosed with lymphoma and is doing well, Mrs Chion said.

Newtown responded with four annual successful campaigns for Coins for the Cure — To Wipe Out Leukemia. Local people joined together to form a team, the Newtown Nightwalkers, for the Light the Night Walks.

“We have raised awareness as well as almost $20,000 in the last four years,” Mrs Choin said. “We have been working to bring a walk to Northern Fairfield County and this is the year it will happen.We are targeting Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Ridgefield.”

Members of the planning committee are Beth Studley, Marg Studley, Janis Solheim, Shannon Solheim, Joan Reynolds, Marie Rojo, and Mrs Choin. Anyone who would like to help is asked to call Ginny Choin at 426-0851 or email vchoin@sbcglobal.net.

Sponsors are needed as well as people who would like to form a team of their own. Those who are interested should contact Nobile@ct-fai.leukemia-lymphoma.org or call the society at 203-967-8326.

Leukemia is the leading cause of disease-related death in children under the age of 15 in the United States. Ten times more adults are stricken with leukemia each year. More than 178,400 Americans are living with leukemia.

For more information about leukemia, lymphoma, or melanoma, contact the society at 203-976-8326 or www.LLS.org.