Mercyhurst College students, staff and Erie residents can help fight cancer simply by donating money or joining in a two mile Light the Night Walk.

The Light the Night Walk is an evening walk and fundraiser event to raise money for research, honor those who battle cancers of the blood and commemorate those who lost their lives to these cancers.

Light the Night is run by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), which is a group dedicated to finding cures and treatments for those who suffer from cancers of the blood.

In 2009 the LLS conducted more than 90 clinical trials in their efforts to develop new treatments and cures so that patients may live healthier and longer lives.

Mercyhurst junior Ethan Johns has started his own team for the walk to help in the fight against leukemia, lymphoma and other cancers of the blood.

In January, Johns was diagnosed with with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a highly treatable form of cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

The Erie Light the Night Walk will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at Jerry Uht Park. Registration and a pre-walk celebration will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the walk starts at 7:30 p.m.

The hope is to raise $100 per walker, but Johns has set his team goal at $1,000. Every donation supports research, patient care and family support groups.

Help support a fellow Mercyhurst student and those with cancer by making a donation to Johns’ or joining his team. To donate or join visit the team’s web page at pages.lightthenight.org/wpa/ErieCo10/johns.