Valerie Kuilboer

VAL'S VISION: TO CURE LEUKEMIA/LYMPHOMA

I was diagnosed with AML on December 5th, 2018. How would I describe my experience? I’ll use the words my daughter, Angela, shared with our Light The Night team last year:

“What started as a simple bruise ended up being her 10 month battle to fight for her life. Thanks to all the amazing resources that are already available, as well as the extremely knowledgeable doctors/nurses that cared for her during this time she was not only able to receive a stem cell transplant from our Auntie that ultimately saved her life, but also got the incredible care she needed to overcome all that she has faced so far. We know that there are so many other families that are affected by this cancer and so we light our lanterns for all of them. To help show that we care and that we understand the hardship that they all had to overcome. Our family hopes that with all the money that is raised there will eventually be a cure for blood cancer and all cancer. So that no parent, child, or friend ever needs to experience what my mom and our family went through after she received the diagnosis.”

My life has changed a lot since my diagnosis. Mostly I live more in the moment now and I’m grateful for all of the little things. I joined the Light The Night Walk because I’ve always been inspired to give back to the community. Now, aside from my own experience, I have also had friends be touched by this terrible disease.

I want people to know that they’re not alone and that there is love land support in community. If I had one piece of advice for people going through this experience, it would be to lean on your community. When we experience trauma or illness, we tend to go inside ourselves, but really, we’re better off in numbers. If we share our pain and our struggles, they’re lessened.

When I think about my Light The Night experience, my heart is very full, there are no words really, but an immense sense of gratitude for all the people in my life, family and friends that have participated in some way for our team to succeed in doing our part for this great cause. We just never know the impact on self and others, until we are personally impacted by such life events.

A special thank you to everyone that has supported our fundraising efforts in 2019 by sharing a conversation, a facebook and/or text message of support and encouragement, by sharing their time, love and support, joining our team for the walk and/or helping us to raise awareness and funds to help cure Blood Cancers such as Leukemia and Lymphoma. Both my daughters, Angela and Jennifer, were a big part of this amazing success, and Team Val’s Vision raised an incredible $4207 in 2019. Included in this total is the cash collected by the staff at The Nail Lounge and the sale of The Hope Necklaces on behalf of Karen Otway Plunder Design.

I look forward to joining forces again this year to support Light The Night! Cancer doesn’t stop and neither will we.