The Vancouver Debate Academy and SunnyLife 1618 Financial Inc. are very proud to announce the 2022 Light the Night Speech Competition, part of Canada’s largest fundraising event bringing help and hope to the blood cancer community! This year’s theme is “High Impact Research: Collaboration in Healthcare,” exploring the challenges and opportunities of medical research, innovation, and care.
- Speech Topic: High Impact Research: Collaboration in Healthcare
- Speech Length: no more than 6 mins
- Who can participate? All Grade 4-12 students
Holly Miao is the founder of SunnyLife 1618 Financial Inc. and a charity ambassador of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. Together with her, the Vancouver Debate Academy initiated this charity speech competition to support and fundraise for the blood cancer community in Canada.
To participate, students in grades 4 to 12 will research, develop, and deliver a speech of no more than six minutes on how society can work together to provide solutions to pressing healthcare challenges. The speech may cover any aspect of collaboration in healthcare, from historical examples of successful cooperation to ideas on how we could provide more equitable medical access for all. Be creative and share your vision for how the healthcare community can best serve the needs of today’s society.
All competing students will submit a video of their speech and receive a personal link they can share with friends and family to “vote” for their submission by providing a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. 100% of all proceeds will go to critical research on blood cancer and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
Our top 12 competitors will be chosen to participate in the live event on Saturday, October 15th, where they will share their ideas in a live broadcast and receive an award recognizing their contribution. Four competitors will be chosen based on the total amount raised, four based on the highest number of total donations, and four will be chosen by tournament directors based on students’ research, creativity, and the delivery of their speech, with two students chosen in grades 4-7 and two in grades 8-12.
Important dates in the 2022 Light the Night Speech Competition are as follows:
- Video Submissions: August 1 – September 25
- Free Speech Workshop – provided by VDA expert coach: Saturday, September 10
- Deadline for Submission: Saturday, September 24
- Invitation to Live Performance: Saturday, October 1
- Free Live Speech Workshop – provided by VDA expert coach: Saturday, October 8
- Live Event with Selected Entries: Saturday, October 15
After registering for the event here, all participants will receive a confirmation email with information on how to submit their video as well as helpful tips and resources for designing an effective speech and becoming a powerful fundraiser.
We look forward to seeing you at this exciting event and deeply appreciate your personal contribution to our collaborative work of making cancer a thing of the past!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC) is the largest voluntary health agency dedicated to supporting the blood cancer community in Canada.
LLSC’s mission is to cure blood cancers and improve the quality of life for people impacted by blood cancers by funding life-enhancing research from bench to bedside, providing targeted blood cancer information, offering personalized support, and advocating to increase the accessibility of effective treatments in Canada.
Everything they do is made possible through the generosity of individuals, corporate partners, and foundations. In the last two decades alone, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada has raised $207 million for research and services.
Every 24 minutes, someone in Canada is diagnosed with a blood cancer. As a Light The Night participant, you’re supporting life-enhancing research and programs for all 137 types of blood cancers. Helping to provide personalized services at every step of the cancer experience. And showing all in the blood cancer community that they are not alone.
After registering the event, a personal fundraising page will be created on LLSC’s website. Share your video and personal page with your community and fundraise for blood cancer research.
LLSC also provides various tools for fundraising, check here to turbocharge your fundraising!
Don’t worry! The Vancouver Debate Academy is providing several free speech workshops to help you get started! We would love to hear your voice and support Blood Cancer Research together with you!