Family and friends of Danielle Lyons experienced the feelings of helplessness, frustration and overwhelming sorrow when the healthy, vibrant 15-year-old was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, only five weeks prior to her death in January of this year. Now, the family is encouraging the community to join them in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk to raise funds to help fight cancer.

The annual, nationwide walk will be held on Thursday evening, Oct. 2, at Hofstra University. Against a twilight sky, walkers will carry illuminated balloons to celebrate and commemorate the lives touched by cancer.

Cancer survivors will carry illuminated white balloons and participants raising $25 or more will carry illuminated red balloons, creating a parade of flickering red and white balloons through the community. Funds raised will support the society's mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, in addition to improving the quality of life of patients and their families. The festivities are from 5 to 7 p.m. and the walk is from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Diagnosed on November 19, Danielle passed away on January 21 after a valiant fight for her life. She was just in remission when an infection ravaged her weak body. "I never realized what families went through when something like this affects one of their family members," said Lisa Lyons, Danielle's aunt. "It was an eye opening experience as to the need for raising money for these causes before they strike one of your loved ones."

Judy Lyons, Danielle's aunt, was a teacher aide at General Douglas MacArthur High School, where Danielle was a sophomore. "She was always a close part of my life," Judy said. "One of the worst things for me was going back to school and seeing her locker and the empty halls without her smile every day."

Danielle was an honor student, as well as an athlete, playing basketball and watching wrestling with her dad. When Danielle became sick, her brother, 21, and mother spent every minute with her. She did not want to be treated differently because of her illness, said Judy.

The year before Danielle was diagnosed, she was in the midst of growing her hair long so that she would be able to donate it to the "Locks of Love."

Bonding together, Danielle's family and friends would like to enlist local residents' support for this important cause. "It's important because there are many people in the United States who are fighting blood cancers," Judy said. "And although research is responsible for increasing survival rates for these diseases, the battle is far from over."

At this time, approximately 100 members are part of the "Danielle's Angels" team. To register, call Team Captain JoAnn Lyons at 731-5271 or Judy Lyons at 796-0546, or send contributions to JoAnn Lyons, P.O. Box 627, Levittown, NY 11756-0627. Please make checks payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Once registered, you will receive a Walker's Welcome Packet in the mail with all the information that you will need.

(Provided by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society)

• Leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma are cancers that originate in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissues. They are considered to be related cancers because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and origins.

• The diseases result from an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal (malignant) and multiplies continuously. The accumulation of malignant cells interferes with the body's production of healthy blood cells and can leave the body unable to protect itself against infection.

• An estimated 106,200 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2003.

• New cases of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma account for 8 percent of the 1,334,100* new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year. (*Source: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program 1975-2000, National Cancer Institute).

• An estimated 670,950 Americans are currently living with leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma.

• Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma will cause the deaths of an estimated 57,500 people in the United States this year.

• Every nine minutes, another child or adult is expected to die from leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. This statistic represents 158 people each day - seven people every hour.

• Leukemias are the leading fatal cancers in young men and women under age 20.