Lynn Evans will be carrying a gold lantern to remember her father on Friday night.
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The Berry resident has organised the inaugural Light the Night in Berry kicking off at 5.30pm on Friday, October 7.
Everyone is welcome.
Light the Night is the Leukaemia Foundation's annual fundraising walk to help more Australians beat blood cancer by improving survival rates and quality of life.
The event will be held from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at Apex Park in Berry.
Mrs Evans said she was inspired to begin a Light the Night in the Shoalhaven after seeing the difference the Leukaemia Foundation’s research made for her father.
“My father passed away from myeloma and lymphoma last year but he was able to have a much better quality of life because of the research the Leukaemia Foundation does,” she said.
“Prior to their research, people were only being given two years but he had four which we’re so grateful for.”
Mrs Evans is hoping $1000 will be raised for the Leukaemia Foundation.
Lanterns will be available for purchase for $10.
Blue lanterns signify the carrier is supporting other people with cancer, gold is for those to light in memory of a lost loved one and white is for those going through their own cancer journey.
A walk around the outskirts of Apex Park will get underway at 7.30pm with the evening wrapping up at 8pm.
There’ll be plenty of fun for all the family with face painting, balloon making and a sausage sizzle on offer.
Mrs Evans said her father would have been proud of the initiative.
“The Leukaemia Foundation was the only charity he made a point of giving money too,” she said.
“Once you’re in that situation it’s such a different feeling to be on the other side and so thankful for the work they do.
“I’m hoping in ten years time we have a cure but in the meantime it’s good to have their research to improve quality of life for sufferers.”
For more information or to purchase a lantern ahead of time see Berry, NSW- Light the Night 2016 on Facebook or register at https://lightthenight.org.au/event/berry
Thousands of Light the Night fundraising walks will be held across Australia tonight.
Leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma are all types of blood cancer and they can develop in anyone, of any age, at any time. Thirty-five Australians are diagnosed every single day.
Each year the Leukaemia Foundation aims to raise $2 million during Light the Night 2016 to ensure more people survive blood cancer and go on to live a better quality of life.
