Aug 15, 2005 By Rebekah Sungala 3 min read

Family and friends of Jenny Lea Marks Frazee, a local woman who died after a four-year battle with Hodgkin’s disease, will walk in her memory Sept. 24 during the Fayette County Light the Night Walk. The purpose of the evening walk, sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, is to raise awareness of blood cancers and raise money for cures.

An estimated 747,465 Americans are living with blood cancers, according to the society.

Statistics show leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under age 20. In addition, non-hodgkin lymphoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States.

Frazee, 28, died in March 2004 after undergoing two bone marrow transplants and a stem cell transplant.

“Jenny was strong. She never complained and was an inspiration to many,” said Frazee’s sister, Sarah Forkovitch.

Forkovitch, who lives in Fairchance, said her sister would have been walking in the Light the Night Walk had she survived her cancer, and that her sister will be there in spirit.

Frazee’s 6-year-old son, Zane, will wear a T-shirt with his mother’s picture on it was he walks around the track at Uniontown Area High School, as will other members of “Jenny’s Crew.”

Last year, the team, captained by Forkovitch, raised almost $1,800 to fight cancer. This year, they plan on raising more.

“We all wanted to do something in Jenny’s memory that will help other people who are going through some of the same things she went through,” Forkovitch said.

“It makes you feel good, seeing all the people who come out to offer their support. Most of the walkers have been affected by cancer in one way or another.”

People who participate in the walk form teams and carry illuminated balloons. Those who have survived or are living with cancer carry white, and those walking to support and commemorate lives affected by cancer carry red.

According to a Web site maintained by the western Pennsylvania branch of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, walkers collect money in order to participate, and all of the funds raised by participants support the society’s mission of curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma while improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

Forkovitch said many of Frazee’s younger cousins have been going to neighbors and businesses, collecting money.

Sharon Mutnansky of Uniontown, Frazee’s first cousin, said her 12- and 17-year-old daughters have been going door-to-door collecting money. Mutnansky said they all also put Light the Night donation boxes in stores and said she hopes people donate when they see them.

“We want to collect a lot more money than we did last year,” she said. “I hope a lot of people show up to walk.”

Although it’s the second year that the walk has been held in Uniontown, Mutnansky said many people aren’t as familiar with the Light the Night Walk as they are Relay for Life, an overnight event sponsored by the American Cancer Society that also raises money to fight cancer.

Anyone interested in donating money or forming a team and walking in the Fayette County Light the Night Walk can call the Western Pennsylvanian Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at 800-726-2873.