This may seem unusual but I'm hoping you can help me.

I am 25 years old, a student, an educator, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a stranger to you. I have cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a blood cancer, and I have had it since I was 12 years old. I have lost my hair and gained 50 lbs from chemotherapy, I have been through radiation enough times to understand what the MRTs are saying now, and it costs my medical insurance 11 000$/month to pay for my new medication which will hopefully put me into remission. I can't even wash my hands with hospital soap anymore - the sterile smell makes me nauseated and so I have to bring my Purel and I try not to use the washroom.  

From what I've seen, as crazy as all that may sound, I am one of the lucky ones, strong and healthy and responsive to treatment with few to no side effects. I can work, I can be active, I was able to marry the love of my life last month, I will be able to go on a honeymoon this summer and the odds are in my favor that despite the aggressive nature of my condition I could live a long life.

My optimism comes from knowing that every day, there is research being done to find a solution to the growing cancer epidemic. My oncologist is in Switzerland as we speak, at a Lymphoma conference, and I am hoping that he will come back with great news. After all, we don't hold medical conferences to scratch our heads and admit defeat!

This is where you come in.  

On October 22nd I will be walking with hundreds of other for Light The Night, a fundraising event organized by the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada to help raise money for the fight against blood cancers. The funds raised will be put towards research for treatments (and hopefully some day a cure), as well as to fund education and support services for patients and their families. Would you be so kind as to make a donation for me? 

If so, please follow the link : http://www.lightthenight.ca/tor/donate/

At this point, you have 2 options: You could donate to my team in Ottawa (Team name: CanCervive) or you could just make a donation to the cause. I'm pretty sure you can remain anonymous too!

If this event touches close to home and you would like to create your own team or support someone in your own town, or you know someone fighting a different kind of cancer and you'd like to join an event regarding that cancer instead, I strongly encourage you to do so. I've created this discussion topic not only to promote my own fundraising efforts but to let people know that this event (as well as many many others) exists across Canada and that no one is alone in their fight against cancer. Blood, breast, stomach, colon, brain, pancreatic... cancer is cancer. Be inspired to make a difference. Even 5$ can go a long way.

Thank you for reading. And if I've inspired you to donate your time or your money to me or to someone else, thank you for your support.

"Hope makes all things possible, Love makes all things easy"