The UF Premed American Medical Student Association (AMSA) hosted Gainesville's 14th Light the Night Walk to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on Thursday night.
Between 600 and 700 people carrying illuminated red, white and gold balloons gathered in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Thursday to show their support for the cause.
The white balloons commemorated for blood cancer survivors, gold in for those lost to blood cancer and red for supporters of the cause.
"It means a lot because I feel like I'm doing a lot to give back to those who are fighting, those who are suffering," said Teena John, a 21-year-old student volunteer. Her father died four years ago after a yearlong battle with blood cancer and her mother went into remission from breast cancer three years ago.
Pizza from Hungry Howie's and desserts from Sweetbay, Walmart, Midnight Cookies and others were served as Radio Disney, UF dance groups, Albert and Alberta, Ronald McDonald, a moon bounce and balloon animals entertained participants before the walk began.
Everything from the night of the fundraiser was donated, said Leanne Iorio, vice president of UF Premed AMSA and chairwoman of the Light the Night Committee.
The walk's two-mile route began at the stadium, circled part of campus, made a lap back through the stadium and ended where it started.
Last year's Light the Night Walk raised more than $67,500 dollars. Seventy-six percent of the money raised goes directly to the cause for research and patient care.
"Planning for the night made me feel that it wasn't just another volunteering thing," Iorio said. "Meeting people with actual cancer and seeing the impact that having the funds a society like this raised for them made my volunteering experience worthwhile."
This is AMSA's first year hosting the fundraiser. AMSA is hoping that making it a student-run event will gain more student participation, Iorio said.
"I think it's an important cause because I feel that blood cancer can be a very treatable cancer," she said. "In doing this, one day it will be a 100 percent treatable cancer."
