Thousands of lanterns are set to glow along the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Saturday night, and for one mother in the crowd, each one will carry the weight of a child she lost. Kaya Edwards will walk in memory of her daughter Zoya, who died from a rare form of leukemia in 2022. Zoya would have turned six years old this month.
The annual Light the Night walk begins at 6:45 p.m. Saturday at Eakins Oval, according to PHL17, which first reported on Edwards’ plans to honor her daughter at the event. The one-mile evening walk is expected to illuminate the museum steps with thousands of lanterns, a tradition meant to celebrate, honor and remember people affected by blood cancer.
Edwards described her daughter as charming, loving and the light of everyone’s life around her. She said participating in the walk can support families during a difficult time, and that the event honors loved ones who died while also supporting families still fighting childhood cancer, per the same report.
A Tradition Built on Lanterns and Loss
Light the Night is organized in the region by Blood Cancer United, whose Eastern Pennsylvania–Delaware program serves communities across both states, according to lightthenight.org. The organization describes the event as a community gathering where people come together to celebrate, honor and remember those touched by blood cancer. A local executive leadership committee of volunteers supports that mission year-round through fundraising initiatives, corporate partnerships and special events, the group notes.
Philadelphia’s Light the Night walk has drawn large crowds before. Thousands gathered near the Art Museum for the 2017 event to raise awareness and money in the fight against leukemia and lymphoma, as reported by CBS Philadelphia at the time. That year, organizers used gold lanterns for people walking in memory of someone who died, red lanterns for those supporting a person with blood cancer, and white lanterns to represent survivors — with a fundraising goal of $2 million for the evening.
Families Carrying Different Chapters of the Same Fight
Light the Night events elsewhere this fall have also spotlighted children’s battles with blood cancer, though not every story ends the way Zoya’s did. In Cincinnati, this year’s walk recognized Miyonna Berry, who was diagnosed with blood cancer at age three and, according to WLWT, remains cancer-free four years later and thriving at school. That event was held Oct. 22 at Yeatman’s Cove.
For Edwards, Saturday’s walk in Philadelphia is a chance to stand among others who understand both grief and hope in the same breath. The lanterns moving past the Art Museum steps will represent survivors, supporters and the people, like Zoya, who did not survive — each one part of a shared effort that organizers say also funds ongoing research into blood cancer.
