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Florence (left, age 17) was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma at age 8. Her father Ian Kirouac (right) supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada - including its annual Light the Night event, and his group's Construction Challenge.

Childhood cancer survivor and family support Light the Night

This is a preview of Ian Kirouac's story brought to you by The Globe and Mail.

Blood cancer can hit anyone at any time...it has touched a lot of people in the construction industry
Ian Kirouac

Diagnosed at 8 with non Hodgkin lymphoma, Florence is thriving at 17.

February 4, 2014, is a date seared in the mind of Ian Kirouac. That’s the day his daughter, Florence, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

A few months earlier, the then-eight-year-old had developed a strange red patch on her chest that would not go away. She otherwise felt healthy, except for occasional night sweats. The family doctor prescribed a medicated cream that had no effect, then suggested Florence see a dermatologist, who took a biopsy.

Results revealed alarming news: It was cancer.