Lighting up the lobby for young cancer patients

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth has unveiled a colorful new way to honor young cancer patients.

When a pediatric oncology patient completes cancer treatment, the lake side of the hospital building will light up in a color of the patient's choosing. The building will light up in that color until 11 p.m. each day for a week. Essentia will continue to do this for every pediatric oncology patient moving forward.

"Kids need to know that they matter, and I think we live in a community where we've chosen to take care of children with very complex medical issues," Dr. Ross Perko, a pediatric oncologist at Essentia, said in media interviews during the inaugural lighting ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 16. "It's great for kids to know that they matter."

Here are a couple media stories about Essentia's "light the lobby" initiative:

Northern News Now: Essentia's 'Light up the Lobby' initiative brings hope for pediatric patients

WDIO: 'Light of hope' shines at Essentia