Pirates and lanterns to light up foreshore

The Busselton Jetty will glow blue and yellow on Saturday night when Busselton’s blood cancer community joins the Leukaemia Foundation’s Light the Night walk.

Locals will light the way during a short lantern walk and ceremony, which will be held at the foreshore.

The event will bring friends and family together to light the night to support people facing blood cancer and to remember loved ones who have passed.

Community host Dawn Blanchard said more than $40,000 had been raised since the inaugural event 10 years ago and hoped the this year would bring the total to $60,000.

She said attendees were encouraged to make donations and carry coloured lanterns which held individual meanings.

Yellow lanterns will be held to remember loved ones lost to blood cancer, while white laterns are held by those who have been diagnosed with blood cancer. Blue lanterns will be held high by the wider community in recognition of the support and services.

Busselton-based Patty Gibson, who has been living with blood cancer for four years, will attend the event. She relies on the Leukaemia Foundation’s free blood cancer transport service to travel to Perth every few weeks for treatments and urged people to get involved.

“I can never quite be sure how my body will react to treatment so having the assurance of someone there at the end of my treatment who can bring me home is a weight off my shoulders at an already stressful time,” she said.

Children are urged to dress up as pirates to be in the running for prizes. More information and registration at lightthenight.org.au. or head to the foreshore on Saturday, November 25 to purchase a lantern and join in the walk.