Your support means a lot…to me and to thousands of others.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) funds lifesaving cancer research that has contributed to major advances in the treatment of blood cancers and many other types of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplants, that have helped patients live better, longer lives. New targeted therapies that kill cancer cells without harming normal tissue are providing drugs and procedures that are improving the quality of life.

But more research is critically needed:

• Every five minutes someone is diagnosed with blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies.
• Leukemia causes more deaths among children than any other cancer.
• Nearly 20,000 Americans died from lymphoma in 2007.
• The survival rate for myeloma is just 34 percent.

Hello to all my family and friends,

I'm going to do the The Night Light Walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society again this year. It is October 2nd, 2008 at the Ann Morrison Park in Boise. ,

Cancer of one type or another has touched the lives of many of our family (My husband Mike, my Uncle Frank, Mike's Aunt Hazel, his Grandma Fuller) and many friends. ,

I am walking this year in honor of Marilyn again, she is our cousin and has battled both with breast cancer and now Leukemia. She is now in remission and doing well, sounds great when we talk on the phone and is growing all her hair back, even working out. This is after a year of isolation while she underwent a bone marrow, stem cell transplant from her brother, and chemo. She had to stay in a special apartment in Seattle for the entire time. No one allowed in that was sick. No perfumes, flowers, etc. She is just this amazing spirit, so sweet and strong. ,

I am also walking in honor of Misty, our cousin Mark Madison's daughter. She is 23, the same age as our son Brandon. She has just been diagnosed with Lymphoma. She was going in today to find out if she will be doing chemo, radiation or both. She has two small children. Please keep her in your prayers! ,

I would love for any of you to join me in my commitment to help this cause. By coming to join me on the walk or by donating to the cause here.

The walk itself is a lot of fun, the community comes out to support all the walkers along the way. Each walker carries a lighted balloon and walks through downtown Boise to the Capital and back to the park. Last year there were dancers, and singers, musicians, little tiny cheerleaders, clowns, cloggers...all kinds of entertainment along the way. It was very uplifting feeling to be a part of it. ,

The walkers had read balloons, the walkers that were cancer survivors carry white ones. There were a lot of those there!,

Thanks again to all of you who helped me reach my donation goal last year of $300.00. This year, I'm hoping to raise $500.00.,

Linda