20,000 Bags Are Lit Up For Cancer Victims At The Lights Of Hope Ceremony
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network sponsored a “Lights of Hope” ceremony that lit up the Lincoln Memorial Pool. Volunteers and advocates from the organization placed 20,00 decorated bags filled with glow sticks around the pool spelling the words “HOPE” and “CURE.”
20,000 individually decorated bags included personal messages to loved ones who died of cancer. The purpose of the ceremony was to bring to the attention of Congress the urgency in finding a cure for cancer and to make the fight against cancer a priority.
People donated $10 to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to have a personalized bag be part of the ceremony to honor the memory of their lost loved ones.
The bags came from all over the United States, which showed the interest of the entire nation in having Congress step up and prioritize the fight against cancer.
Former pro football player Chris Daft, who lost his wife to lung cancer, joined the 750 volunteers who setup the 20000 glow bags and talked to members of Congress about issues that are very important to cancer patients.
Chris Daft said:
“Football really prepared me for her diagnosis. You really have to deal with it and find the positive in those moments…That’s what we have to do in terms of cancer, really look at it, face it.”
In 2011 Chris Daft and his wife Keasha founded Team Draft before she passed away to raise awareness and funds to fight lung cancer, and to help surviving family members and friends become advocates in the fight against cancer.
