Joan Richardson

Remembering Annette Hamelin-Richardson

Annette's blood cancer diagnosis was really heartbreaking for us. Annette was a bright, lively light. When she first became ill around 2009, she went through various treatments, including holistic medicine. Right from the start, the prognosis was never good. We just watched this wonderful, bright girl fade away on us; my son lost the love of his life. She made my son a better man, because she was just so kind and gentle. She had great faith and battled hard.

Living through Annette's struggle and watching her be so brave & strong taught me a lot about holding close the people you love, about being kinder and more patient & understanding. We never know how long we have with each other, so we need to make those hours count. It seems like we just didn't have enough time with her - we only knew her for about 10 years.

An LLSC staff member came and spoke to our Lions' Club about getting involved with Light the Night. My good friend, Diana, is a blood cancer survivor; she was diagnosed almost at the same time as my daughter-in-law. Diana is an incredibly strong lady who can teach you so much about strength & faith. She makes us all want to be better; she has so much love and is such a wonderful friend.

What does Light The Night mean to me? Well, when you see all those walkers carrying their lanterns, with all their different colours, it's an incredible blend of inspiration. You hear inspiring stories there and meet wonderful people. Last time we walked, Diana had multiple generations walking with her. It's just inspiring; it makes my heart sing. These people who struggle with blood cancer are very courageous.

Sooner or later, blood cancer will affect almost everyone. It is the most common cancer for children. We have such a wonderful research team here at the University of Alberta who are doing such great work; this is one of my very favourite causes - this is the one that touches our hearts. We need that research so desperately. Only through fundraising drives like Light The Night can we raise enough funds to put people on those research teams to come up with a cure.