Discovering A New Purpose After Cancer
Mikki Larner
Senior Associate, Technical Sales Specialist, David Schnur Associates San Francisco, CA
Why She Carries A White Lantern
For Mikki Larner, supporting LLS is deeply personal: She’s the first blood cancer survivor in her immediate family in three generations. Both her father and grandfather passed away from the disease. Diagnosed with lymphoma during the pandemic, Larner recalls that time as “mind- and body-altering,” crediting her care team, friends and family for helping her through treatment. After entering remission, she says, “I wanted to find a way that I could return that support with a personal tie-in.”
Larner, a technical sales specialist at medical equipment manufacturer David Schnur Associates, discovered Light The Night through a social media post and joined the Executive Challenge after learning how vital fundraising is to LLS. While reaching out to her network, she uncovered a surprising link: LLS helped fund research for rituximab, the immunotherapy that successfully treated her. “That just further justified what I was doing with LLS,” she says.
The Impact She Hopes To Make
At her first Light The Night event, Larner carried a white lantern to symbolize her blood cancer experience, surrounded by her doctors, friends and family. “It didn't really matter what color my lantern was. It was that I showed up and all these other people showed up,” she says.
As part of her fundraising work, Larner shares resources on research and patient support with newly diagnosed family members and others she’s met along the way. It’s become an outlet to deepen her relationships and share more of her story. “I'm doing what I would have liked people to have done for me,” she says. “I want to ensure that future patients and their friends and family … have the same opportunity for successful treatments.”
When She Felt The Power Of Community At Light The Night
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Stuart Sullivan
Chief Financial Officer, QuikTrip Tulsa, OK
Sullivan has served on LLS’s local board and as corporate walk chair three times, leading efforts to accelerate support from the business community and drive growth to advance LLS’s mission. He continues his involvement to honor his loved ones and champion future blood cancer patients.
“I stay involved because I do value the work [LLS is] doing,” he says. “I know it's changing lives, I know that it's making a difference long-term. I really appreciate them having an ultimate goal to put an end to blood cancer, and I am optimistic that will happen at some point.”
The Impact He Hopes To Make
Over seven years ago, Stuart Sullivan began carrying a red lantern at Light The Night—symbolizing support for someone facing cancer—to stand with his coworker diagnosed with leukemia. Sullivan, the chief financial officer of convenience store chain QuikTrip, was motivated to become an Executive Challenger by LLS’s commitment to advancing research and improving patients’ lives. Over the years, he’s tapped into his network locally and across industries to raise awareness and drive fundraising for LLS.
The cause became even more personal when his stepfather was also diagnosed with leukemia. After losing both his coworker and stepfather, Sullivan now carries a gold lantern in their memory.
“It’s very important to show that support, because ultimately, we want to achieve [a future] where we don't have people carrying gold lanterns anymore, because we want to get to a point where people aren't losing that battle,” Sullivan says.
Why He Carries A Gold Lantern
Honoring His Coworker’s And Stepfather’s Legacy
How He’s Formed New Friendships At Light The Night
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Coker Powell
Executive Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer, LLS
To our Executive Challengers: Your leadership and generosity are transforming lives. Because of your dedication, patients have access to groundbreaking treatments, families receive essential support and critical research continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Your fundraising isn’t just about dollars—it’s about hope, survival and a future where no one has to hear the words, ‘You have blood cancer.’”
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The Top Five Light The Night Executive Challengers
Presenting
These business leaders collectively raised the most funds last year— nearly $1 million—to support LLS’s Light The Night campaign.
Karl Miller
Chief Executive Officer, Jingoli Power
Mike Farmer
Proprietor, Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
Stuart Sullivan
Chief Financial Officer, QuikTrip
Heather Stubblefield
Senior Director, Origination, Florida Power & Light
Swati Navani
U.S. Hematology, Market Development, Pfizer
The Full List Of 2025 Light The Night
Executive Challengers
Presenting
