On a cool November evening, as the sun sets behind the Charlotte skyline, families, colleagues and friends arrive carrying lanterns. Each one tells a story.
Light The Night is a signature event supporting Blood Cancer United, and for many in Charlotte it has become a tradition of remembrance, resilience and progress. This year's walk is Nov. 14.
Helping lead the 2026 effort are neighbors Tracy Kerrins, Andrea Bierce and Jayne Borman, who serve on the Executive Leadership Committee. Their work is to inspire participation, build momentum and widen the event's reach.
Three colors of lantern
White lanterns are carried by survivors and stand for strength, courage and the progress made in treatment. Red lanterns are carried by family members, friends and colleagues walking in solidarity. Gold lanterns honor loved ones who have died, their memories fueling the fight for a cure.
When the walk begins and the lanterns move together, the individual stories become one message: no one faces blood cancer alone.
What the money does
Funds raised through Light The Night support research that brings new therapies and treatment options to patients. Survival rates for many blood cancers have improved dramatically over time, thanks in part to investment in discovery driven by events like this one.
The impact goes beyond research. It is financial support that eases the burden of treatment, access to trusted information in uncertain moments and connection to a community that understands the journey.
A Charlotte evening
In Charlotte, companies rally employees around the cause, friends and families build teams in honor of loved ones and community leaders step forward to invite others in. There is a moment during the evening when the crowd pauses. Lanterns are raised. Stories are shared. Names are remembered.
Too many families are still hearing life-changing diagnoses. Light The Night is meant to keep research going, keep support accessible and keep hope growing.
To learn more or get involved in the Nov. 14 walk, visit lightthenight.org or contact Jenny Crow at Jenny.Crow@bloodcancerunited.org.
This story appears in the September 2026 issue of Stroll Providence.