The walk brought out hundreds of survivors and loved ones impacted by this type of cancer as a reminder that they are not in the fight alone.
Survivors told ABC7 there was a moment they faced where they thought all hope was lost, but it was in that moment that the lymphoma community boosted their strength and renewed their faith.
"I was age 51 when I got cancer, and now, I'm going to be 80 in January, oh yeah," said lymphoma survivor Bruce Stickler.
Stickler has battled lymphoma for nearly three decades. He is a living testimony of survival, now getting the chance to see his grandkids grow up.
"I want to live my best life, and I want to see these kids grow up. Who they love, who loves them, what they're going to be means everything," Stickler said.
He joined 650 patients, survivors, care partners, families, friends and corporate partners to honor and remember those whose lives have been impacted by lymphoma by taking part in a 5-mile walk along the lakefront.
"A patient once told me, 'This isn't a club anyone wants to join.' But once you do become a part of the lymphoma community, you see what a generous and caring group of people, that is, and that's why walks like today are so critical," said Lymphoma Research Foundation CEO Meghan Gutierrez.
The walk at Montrose Harbor is helping to raise more than $500,000 for lymphoma research, the very research that helped to save the life of 25-year-old Gina Pankoff.
"I literally just had nothing else to give. I just gave it to God, and he gave me the strength to just, like, go just see what they have to say. And I knew, like, I had an angel, like, looking over me," Pankoff said.
After several doctors' appointments, Pankoff said she was finally diagnosed with stage four lymphoma.
"Went through six runs of chemo, bunch of spinal taps, the whole shebang, and then, I found out I was in remission in February of last year," Pankoff said.
Now, she is working to inspire others to never give up.
"You get to choose what you do with that situation and who you show up for, and how you show up. So just keep doing it, because something great can come from, like, your hardest times," Pankoff said.
Lymphoma is the one of the most common types of blood cancer. More than 100,000 people are diagnosed with lymphoma every year, and more than 1 million Americans are living with or are survivors of it.