SAVANNAH, Ga. — On Thursday evening, The Park at Eastern Wharf was illuminated with vibrant lights as part of a heartwarming initiative to raise funds for crucial blood cancer research.

The event, known as Light the Night and organized by Blood Cancer United, featured a lantern-lit walk spanning a mile, symbolically brightening the darkness associated with cancer. Participants were encouraged to fundraise, and those who managed to gather more than $100 through their individual fundraising pages were rewarded with a commemorative t-shirt at the event.

Ahead of Light the Night, various fundraisers, community teams, and corporate entities actively participated in raising funds. By the time the event commenced, $378,464 had been amassed towards the ambitious goal of $525,000.

Beyond its fundraising efforts, Light the Night offers free information and support services, while also celebrating the resilience of cancer survivors. This year’s event paid special tribute to Emily O’Connor, a courageous young woman diagnosed with Acute Leukemia in January 2024.

Despite enduring several rounds of chemotherapy, O’Connor did not achieve remission. However, thanks to the research and funding provided by Blood Cancer United, she was able to undergo life-saving immunotherapy treatment.

O’Connor said she wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Blood Cancer United and she was overwhelmed with emotion to be this year’s honored hero. She said she hopes people continue to support in their mission in any way they can.

“So, I’m learning that we are still using treatments from 20, 30, 40 years ago for these cancers and that we are working on developing new therapies,” said O’Connor. “We need the funding, we need the awareness, we need the research in order to come up with new cures for cancer so that no one has to fight cancer at some point in time.”

Blood Cancer United has a mission to enable people with blood cancer to gain more than one million years of life by 2040.

To find more information on donating to Blood Cancer United, learning more about blood cancer awareness and reading more information about survivors or click here.