Patrick Keal, Kappa Chapter Raise More Than $3,000 for Light the Night Walk

October 22, 2008
Oxford, Ohio

Patrick Keal, Kentucky ’04, a survivor of Non-Hodgkin Burkitt’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that starts in the lymph nodes, served as the honored hero for Light the Night Walk Sept. 13 in Lexington, Ky. Kappa chapter at Kentucky walked in his honor for the third straight year.

Keal, the president of the IFC at the University of Kentucky, and the Kappa chapter raised more than $3,000, which was counted in the $95,000 total for the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society event. The funds raised go to cancer research and support programs for patients with blood cancer.

One such program is First Connections, which allows patients who have recently been diagnosed with blood cancer to contact someone of similar age and diagnoses and ask questions.

During the walk, all participants light balloons. Red ballons represent the supporters, white are for survivors and gold represent those walking in memory of someone.

“The goal of the walk is to first eliminate the need for gold balloons altogether and then eventually eliminate the need for the white balloons,” Keal said. “Every year I walk I see the progress that is being made and I am thankful for the support I have been given, which is truly the reason I am alive today.”

He was diagnosed with cancer the summer between his sophomore and junior year in college. He said the support of his family, friends, Fraternity and events, such as Light the Night Walk, has helped him overcome cancer.

“[Light the Night Walk] brings the patients and the supporters together,” Keal said. “I have walked now both as a patient currently in treatment and as a survivor, and I cannot describe the importance of cancer patients knowing they have so many people standing with them in support.”