Each fall, thousands of colored lanterns illuminate cities nationwide as part of a powerful event that brings hope to people affected by blood cancer.
At The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) annual Light The Night, a national fundraising campaign that includes nearly 100 events, attendees carry lanterns that tell powerful stories: red for supporters standing with people facing blood cancer, white for patients and survivors and gold to honor lives lost to these diseases. Together, they symbolize a shared commitment to a cancer-free future.
Among the brightest forces behind this mission are Executive Challengers, a community of hundreds of business leaders who rally their networks to raise millions for LLS. Last year alone, they helped raise over $10 million to fuel life-saving research and vital patient services, accelerating progress toward LLS’s bold goal: more than one million years of life by 2040.
“Executive Challengers are shaping the future of blood cancer treatment, leaving a legacy of innovation and impact,” says Coker Powell, LLS's executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “Their contributions ensure more patients survive, celebrate milestones and live longer, healthier lives.”
Meet three Executive Challengers who proudly carry their lanterns and learn how their fundraising drives real impact.
Bringing Her Culture To Fundraising
Swati Navani
U.S. Hematology, Market Development, Pfizer Princeton, NJ
Why She Carries A Red Lantern
Fourteen years ago, Swati Navani attended her first Light The Night while working at a biotech company that developed lymphoma treatments. The experience left a mark. “Seeing all these patients, survivors … all the different lanterns, I was like, ‘Okay, what am I going to do to make a difference?’”
Now a leader in Pfizer’s hematology division—where she liaises between the company and experts in lymphoma and myeloma—Navani channels her professional focus into her passion for fundraising. As a member of LLS’s New Jersey Board of Trustees, she’s committed to raising awareness for the organization’s groundbreaking research, advocacy work and patient education and support programs.
Though Navani has carried a red lantern at Light The Night as a general supporter, she also walks in memory of her sister, who passed away from breast cancer. “I'm there for the survivors as much as I am as a supporter,” she says.
The Impact She Hopes To Make
A few years into her LLS work, Navani had a unique idea: She launched a Bollywood-themed fundraiser gala—complete with Indian dance, cuisine and community—to bring her culture and joy to the cause. Once an event she struggled to fill, the gala is now a local success, drawing hundreds each year. This year, an added auction helped her raise most of her funds, and every event honors a physician making a difference in cancer care. “It's all about making it fun for people,” she says.
Navani’s north star is a cancer-free world. Until then, she’s focused on improving quality of life for patients through better treatment and outcomes.
“It's wonderful to see new medications, new options for these patients and less side effects,” she says. “We're really making a quality-of-life difference, [and] I hope that only gets better and better from pharma research [and] from what LLS is doing every day.”
How Her Work Sparks Action In Others
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