Lesia’s Night Lights Walk In Step with CUPP Interns

1 - Lesia’s Night Lights team including 2012 CUPP interns rally at Lesia Maruschak's homeNew Pathway – Lesia Maruschak was diagnosed with chronic lymphocyctic leukemia (CLL) in November 2010. She adopted as her motto “Live, Act, Be Grateful”, and then decided to help find a cure and joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s “Light the Night” fundraising campaign. For a second year now, Lesia joined thousands of people walking while carrying illuminated balloons participating in Ottawa’s Night Walk on October 13, “Canada’s night to pay tribute and bring hope to all those affected by blood cancer.” This year, Lesia was chosen Ottawa’s Honoured Hero.

Also, for a second year, interns of the Canada Ukraine Parliamentary Program joined Lesia’s Night Lights. As part of Lesia’s campaign, she launched a program called “CUPP Champions for a Cure” asking people to sponsor each of this year’s 33 interns for a $100 donation.

Lesia’s Night Lights team member Antin Sloboda, blood donor and blood donation coordinator on behalf of Lesia’s Night Lights writes:

“For Lesia’s Night Lights team and their campaign for “Light the Night”, the donation of funds is extremely important. The funds raised represent a sign of solidarity with those who are suffering from leukemia and lymphoma; these funds will be used for blood cancer research and will allow people suffering from these forms of cancer to receive adequate services in their local communities. However, when a person donates his or her own blood to the campaign, it’s an even stronger sign that this person is committing themselves at the ontological level for the benefit of the suffering. This form of solidarity is one of most effective ones because you know that your blood is always needed by those who undergo serious medical treatments, especially for various forms of blood cancers.

2 - Lesia’s Night Lights team members in walk from Ottawa's Marion Dewar Plaza“I had a cousin in Ukraine named Ulyana. She was born a week after the Chornobyl nuclear power plant had exploded. Shortly after her birth, she was diagnosed with a severe form of leukemia. It’s not clear whether her condition was related to the nuclear catastrophe, but I know that as a newly born baby she had spent a lot of time outside because her parents (as most Ukrainians at that time) were not aware that the explosion had taken place. After several years of struggling with the disease she died. One of the things that I clearly remember is the fact that her parents were doing everything possible to find some form of treatment and that with each new blood transfusion, we all had more hope that things would improve for Ulyana.

“I am thankful to the 2012 CUPP interns for joining Lesia’s team participating in the Light the Night Walk in Ottawa on Saturday, October 13th, and for donating their blood to help the suffering. I think that investing in the CUPP interns is one of the smartest moves for Ukraine’s future. Right now, Ukraine more than ever needs competent and caring young leaders who are ready to do the right things for others.”  

Lesia’s formal goal this year is to raise $35,000 as a team and $20,000 personally. They still need to raise $7,000 to reach their target and invite everyone to join in the fight against blood cancers. Fundraising continues until the end of November and all donations would be greatly appreciated. Please give. Go to http://tinyurl.com/LesiaWalks2012.


PHOTOS

1 - Lesia’s Night Lights team including 2012 CUPP interns rally at Lesia Maruschak's home

2 - Lesia’s Night Lights team members in walk from Ottawa's Marion Dewar Plaza