Emily Zimmerman Raises Funds and Awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

WHS Lions Pride Original Story:

by Elizabeth Knight

As the annual Light the Night Walk approaches, many fundraisers are being held to help support the walkers and raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

This walk is held in Baker Park every year and brings in many supporters and donations to help the society raise money. According to the national Light the Night Walk website (www.lightthenight.org) the funds raised at this event are put to use by funding breakthrough therapies for blood cancer patients, provides free educational materials for events, powers the advocacy to ensure access to treatments, and helps provide personalized assistance through the information center.

One of Walkersville’s very own Emily Zimmerman, a senior at Walkersville High School, has a team at this event called Emily’s Flying Piggy’s. Zimmerman is a cancer survivor who is now a big advocate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.

Zimmerman says “I’ve been doing this walk for seven years and I’ve probably raised around $50,000.” Her team consists of about 20 to 30 family members, friends, and even people from around the community. Zimmerman asks that everyone on her team brings in at least $20. This event brings in around 600 people a year.

“It’s important to me because it raises a lot of money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, and organization that funded the research for the drug Gleevec that saved my life,” says Zimmerman. Gleevec is a drug used in curing certain types of Leukemia and other types of cancers and tumors.

Zimmerman is having another fundraiser on October 28th at Madrones right near the Wegmans on Wormans Mill Rd. This is an all-day fundraiser and part of the proceeds from your meal goes in supporting  Zimmerman’s team. This is also bank night where people can register/pay to walk on November 1st.