As the curtain came down on the 17th and final Nite of Hope Gala Evening in Richmond last Thursday (April 16) there were plenty of emotional moments, many thank-yous and a new milestone in fundraising for breast cancer.
The event, which grew from a grassroots movement in the home of Nite of Hope founder Judi Miller Knapp raised $230,000 on the night, a total of $2.6 million over its 17-year run, and, when combined with Nite of Hope events that branched off in the North Shore and South Surrey, the donations broke the $4 million mark.
Along with the fundraising and the benefits that money has provided has been the opportunity to develop long-lasting friendships, said Miller Knapp.
“The Nite of Hope has provided me with so many wonderful opportunities in my life,” she said during her opening remarks at the packed River Rock Show Theatre. “It couldn’t bring my mother or my sister-in-law back to life, but it gave me an outlet for my grief, and also a chance to grow and learn, pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone and the chance to meet so many amazing people.”
She added it has been inspiring to get to know so many breast cancer survivors and their families.
While there have been numerous awards and widespread recognition for the event, Miller Knapp said her greatest reward has simply been the chance to create and work on the Nite of Hope.
“Aside from my children, it is the thing that I am most proud of in my life,” she said, quickly adding her grandsons are included in that list, too.
She also praised the enduring work of the long list of volunteers who worked tirelessly on the annual event, reserving special praise for this year’s co-chairs Shelley Leonhardt and Peggy O’Brien.
“Their keen respect for the Nite of Hope brand and its committee have made this labour of love an inspiring display of teamwork,” she said.
While there is still a need to remain vigilant and raise money and awareness about breast cancer, Miller Knapp said much has been accomplished.
“The enemy is not yet defeated. But since the Nite of Hope’s inception, we have seen many advancements in diagnosis and treatment options tailored to the individual rather than the disease in general,” she said. “My mother and sister-in-law would have had much better outcomes had they been diagnosed now. So, I am grateful for the advances we have made.”
“Raising money and awareness and money for breast cancer is the least we can do as we’re in this fight together,” O’Brien said.
“This year has been especially bittersweet with it being our finale,” Leonhardt said.
“We so look forward to the day that we can say we no longer have a fear of getting breast cancer,” O’Brien added.
