Maricel Jaragbas

I was diagnosed with NHL in February 2019. My biggest challenge was that I was adopting to a new environment and undergoing treatment at the same time. My family and I moved to Canada from the Philippines in January of 2019, and I started chemotherapy in March. It was hard to undergo treatment, adjust to a new environment, and look after our two young boys without the support of close family members. My husband continued working during my treatment. It was challenging to care for our two young boys when I was experiencing extreme side effects. Today, I’m continuing with maintenance chemotherapy, and the side effects are mild. I’m grateful to be able to cook for my family without being exhausted and weak.

Light The Night appeared on facebook, and I was really excited to learn about the walk. I wanted to know what it would feel like to go to Light The Night. At the walk, I was worried at first, about my youngest son being too small to finish the walk. He surprised me, he had my lantern and he proudly carried it around. He had an absolute blast watching all the lanterns and the dancers on the walk route. He finished the whole walk and he wasn’t even tired. He got swept up in the evening, it was pretty wonderful. I had mixed emotions at Light The Night, I realized I wasn’t alone, and that there are lots of survivors. Seeing all the walkers there supporting someone they love was really touched me. The crowd was amazing, I could feel the support of everyone. I couldn’t even feel the cold of the evening, I was just too excited. Light The Night is an evening of Love, support, and comfort. It's an important evening that shows people that they aren’t alone. By being there, everyone acknowledges that they understand how hard it is, and it encourages those of us undergoing treating not to give up.