Suzy Douyakis and her daughter Scout Testro will walk to remember their beloved father and grandfather as part of next week’s Leukaemia Foundation Light the Night. 87082 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By NATALIE GALLENTI
SUZY Douyakis will remember her much-loved father with every step she takes next Wednesday.
The Burnside resident will light a gold lantern with her daughter Scout at the Leukaemia Foundation Light the Night to commemorate her dad Steven who died from lung cancer in 2000.
Suzy will also be supporting her friend Danielle whose dad died from Acute Lymphoblastic in 2008.
“I feel like I’m doing something for my dad,” she said.
“I think of him all the time, it’s like he’s with me all the time. He was always there when I needed him and he’s still around me.”
Suzy recalled the morning she lost her father and said it still feels like yesterday.
“I was stunned. I was at work and I just had this burning desire to know what the time was. It was eight o’clock.
“Then I got a phone call from my neighbour and she said something had happened to my dad.”
She found out later that her father had passed away at precisely eight o’clock that morning.
Suzy said her father’s passing shocked the entire family and even he wasn’t aware he had lung cancer, despite suffering from a sore throat and chest infection in the weeks prior to his death.
She hopes her team will raise $1000 to go towards research for a cure and the Leukaemia Foundation’s target of $2 million for blood cancer research at Light the Night.
“I think we’re all suffering from sympathy fatigue and we’re all doing it tough (financially). But money can’t be compared to remembering someone you love and raising money for a cure.”
Light the Night takes place from 5.30pm on Wednesday 26 September at the Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne.
For information or to donate visit www.lightthenight.org.au
