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It was a sea of red, white, and gold in Ankeny as Blood Cancer United — formerly known as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society — celebrated its annual Light the Night walk Saturday night. The event honors the legacies and celebrates the survival of those affected by blood cancer. One of those survivors is Dianne Callahan."I started having pain in all my bones, and that led to going to the ER in a wheelchair because I couldn't walk anymore," Callahan said. She shared her initial stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis. She's since survived cancer four times. "You have to face the fact that your life may not be as long as you hoped," she said. And she's not alone. According to Blood Cancer United, almost 200,000 individuals were estimated to have been diagnosed with blood cancer in 2024. But that's where Region Executive Director Michelle Weigel says Light the Night comes in: providing resources, support, and research funding in a time when patients need it most."NIH Funding has been cut. Medicaid has been cut," she said. "So, we want to make sure that our patients and survivors continue to feel supported."And while the funding Light the Night secures is critical to patients across the country, Callahan says it's not her favorite part of the evening.It's when the lanterns go up — red for supporters, white for survivors, and gold for those who've passed on — that makes all the difference. "It's hope that fewer people will be diagnosed, it's hope that fewer people will need gold lanterns, and it's hope that there's going to be white lanterns all over the place. Because if you have to go through it, you're going to survive." Callahan said.Callahan also published a book sharing her cancer journey and the advice she'd give others earlier this week. A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit Blood Cancer United. For those interested in donating directly to Blood Cancer United, click here for more information.