Light the Night walk comes to Ottawa
Posted Jul 29, 2010 By Katie Stewart
Email
Print
Tweet This
Click to Enlarge
EMC Events - When 43-year-old Craig Peleshok was diagnosed with Acute Promylocytic Luekemia in 2008, he never once shed a tear. 
Katie Stewart, Ottawa East EMC
Craig Peleshok stands with honoured hero Owen Raso at the Light the Night Walk Kick-off Launch held at the Canadian Blood Services head office on Alta Vista drive.
"It's sort of funny, because I'm usually a very emotional person," he laughed.
Instead of allowing the bad news to break him down, Mr. Peleshok was determined to stay positive and battle leukemia.
"My doctor told me that 90% of the battle is mental," he said, explaining that during his chemotherapy and his current ongoing drug treatments, he made sure he spent time with his wife Thessa and his twin daughters, and keep a smile on his face. Today, his leukemia is in remission.
While watching TV one night, Mr. Peleshok saw a commercial for the Light the Night walk, an event that takes place throughout North America raising money for blood cancer.
He called the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada and asked when the Ottawa walk was. And to his surprise, there wasn't one.
"We are the nation's capital and we have every other walk imaginable," he said. "I wanted to find a way to give back."
After over a year of working with the organization, Mr. Peleshok was able to help bring the walk to Ottawa.
"The walk has been in Toronto for six years and this is our first year in Ottawa," said Trinity Lewis, campaign manager for Light the Night.
The walk pays tribute to people touched by cancer. Held at night, teams of walkers raise money and carry illuminated balloons representing how cancer has affected them- a white balloon for survivors, red for supporters, and gold for the memory of loved ones lost.
In 2009, 20 Canadians died each day from some type of blood cancer.
"Having it at night is unique and sets us apart. It's a beautiful visual," said Ms. Lewis.
The walk, which will take place on October 16, had its launch on July 21 to encourage registration and fundraising.
"We want to change the lives of not hundreds, but thousands," said Ms. Lewis. "The walk is a day to remember, celebrate, to hope, and to inspire."
Ms. Lewis explained that the family event requi-wide goal of $750,000 this year.
"We are off to a fantastic start in Ottawa and there's no doubt it will be an outstanding success," said Roula Dimitrakopoulos, deputy executive director.
At the launch, both Mr. Peleshok and Owen Raso, a young boy who has battled leukemia and is in remission, shared their personal stories to help inspire people to join on the walk.
"I want to give people hope that you can beat this and you can stay positive," said Mr. Peleshok. "I want to see Owen and I grow old together."
In between work, family and co-chairing a leukemia support group, Mr. Peleshok will be fundraising for the upcoming walk and has already seen a tremendous amount of support within the community.
"There are a lot of people worse off than me," he said. "There's a reason this happened to me and a reason I'm doing this."
For more information on the Light the Night walk, please visit www.lightthenight.ca.
kstewart@theemc.ca
blog comments powered by Disqus
