BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Organized by Buffalo native Karen Connor as part of Lights of Hope Across America, a fundraiser through the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the Peace Bridge will be lit in red and blue from dusk through 1 a.m. on Tuesday, September 19 in honor of the 31,320 New Yorkers who will die from cancer in 2023.
Connor will be in Washington, D.C. where she will join over 700 ACS CAN advocates participating in a Leadership Summit & Lobby Day urging lawmakers to prioritize policies that will benefit current and future cancer patients.
The ACS CAN said there will also be a ceremony and display of over 50,000 paper bags with the names of those lost to cancer and illuminated by their memory at the Constitution Gardens to round out the Leadership Summit & Lobby Day.
According to the ACS CAN, Connor lost both of her parents and some friends to cancer and was motivated to start volunteering after a 20-year career in the clinical research industry. This will be Connor's fourth year participating in the Leadership Summit & Lobby Day.
“Karen is the consummate advocate. Karen understands what cancer patients need, what they lack and how to fix that. I am incredibly proud to work with her at the federal, state and local level to advocate for cancer patients—past, present and future."
“I am honored to travel to D.C. and represent my fellow New Yorkers in advocating for these critical proposals. Every individual should be equipped and empowered to prevent, detect, treat and recover from cancer. The policies we’re advocating for as a part of Leadership Summit & Lobby Day bring us one step closer to that reality. While I am in D.C. meeting with lawmakers to advocate for cancer patients, I hope my fellow Buffalonians will stop by Peace Bridge to see the Lights of Hope illumination and take a moment to remember someone they lost to cancer.”
You can learn more about Lights of Hope Across America 2023 here.
