Saturday nights in Rockville Town Center are like any other crisp autumn nights, with teenagers milling about and families eating dinner at popular restaurants. But Oct. 22 was a little different: the sky glowed as thousands of balloons illuminated the town center plaza as part of the Light the Night walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society holds Light the Night fundraisers in 59 different locations throughout the country. The walks are meant to bring light to the dark world of cancer. Participants carry white balloons denoting survivors, red for supporters and gold honoring the memory of loved ones lost to cancer. Each balloon has a small lantern in it. Participants are asked to raise money in teams.

As one of the most productive national chapters for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the D.C. metropolitan area holds walks every year in Reston, Va., D.C. and Rockville. This year, Reston held its walk Oct. 1, the Freedom Plaza held its walk Oct. 15., and Rockville held its walk Oct. 22.

Established in 1949, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has spent more than $750 million in research. Since its creation, survival rates for certain blood cancers have doubled and even tripled in some cases.

With more than 2,500 patients and families participating in the D.C. area walks, this year’s fundraising goal for the local chapter is $2 million. The national goal is $11.8 million.

Aside from raising money, the walks are meant to honor those affected by the disease, said Rockville walk campaign manager Claudia Bahar.

“It’s a night of hope and celebration for patients and survivors, as they’re surrounded by others who’ve had similar experiences and who are supporting them in their fight,” Bahar said. “Everyone comes out to the walk for the same reason, and there is something special about that.”

After struggling with leukemia throughout her childhood and officially finishing her chemotherapy treatment at the end of this summer, sophomore Marcela Falck-Bados was inspired by the event.

“It’s comforting to know that there are more people out there that have gone through what I went through,” Falck-Bados said. “Because of this event I feel less alone in my struggles against this disease.”

Falck-Bados promotes the event this year as a 2011 Honored Hero for the Light the Night walks. In a recent Whitnet email, Falck-Bados described her struggles with the disease and encouraged people to attend the event and donate money to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Scoiety.

She chose to name her team “Marcela and Tim’s Team” to honor her friend and classmate Tim King, who passed away from leukemia in the summer of 2010.

“What I want people to take away from the event is that there are people out there who are suffering from this horrible disease,” Falck-Bados said. “I want people to know that they shouldn’t take life for granted.”