Causes We Love: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), founded in 1949, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. With September being
Blood Cancer Awareness month, I had the opportunity to chat with Nancy Hallberg, their chief marketing officer to learn more about their mission and how we can support their cause.
1. How many people suffer from blood cancer?
The numbers are staggering. There is a new diagnosis of blood cancer every three minutes, and a blood cancer related death every 10 minutes in the U.S. That’s 152 people each day and more than 6 people every hour.
2. What is your main focus area at LLS?
Our mission at LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Here’s how we fuel our mission.
- Research: as there are no means of preventing or early screening for most blood cancers, the LLS research agenda is focused on finding cures. We drive research in areas of unmet medical need, and help to bridge the gap between academic discovery and drug development. LLS identifies and funds the most promising blood cancer research projects and forges partnerships with academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the development of new therapies.
- Patient Access: LLS is the leading source of free, highly specialized blood cancer information, education and support for patients, survivors, families and healthcare professionals. We touch patients in their communities through our chapters across the U.S. and Canada. We advocate for blood cancer survivors and their families, helping patients navigate their cancer treatments and ensuring they have access to quality, affordable and coordinated care.
- Policy and Advocacy: LLS recognizes that finding cures is not enough; we need to ensure that patients have access to the treatments, services and providers they need to live longer, better, healthier lives. We are dedicated to removing barriers to care. Our team is committed to ensuring that patients have access to adequate network of providers and services and are protected from high out-of-pocket costs that limit access to life-saving treatments.
3. What do donations do?
- Provide financial aid and co-pay assistance. A cancer diagnosis is hard enough without having to deal with its financial burden. We provide programs to help relieve the economic strain of a blood cancer diagnosis.
- Develop "targeted therapies" that kill cancer cells selectively. By hitting specific molecular targets, these treatments don't harm patients' healthy cells, resulting in fewer dangerous side effects.
- Encourage scientists to pursue blood cancer research. Grants to young scientists help grow research talent even as federal research funding becomes increasingly limited.
- Improve the safety of today's cures. LLS funds research to predict, manage and prevent complications in patients most at risk for long-term and late effects of treatment.
- Help patients and their families make informed decisions. LLS supplies information and counseling to help guide patients through their cancer journey and access current treatment and clinical trial options.
- Test immunotherapies. Immunotherapies strengthen a patient's own immune system so it can better fight infections and attack cancer cells, reducing the need for damaging chemotherapy.
- Offer community services. Among the wide array of programs LLS provides are those that link newly diagnosed patients with trained volunteers and that help young cancer patients return to school after an absence resulting from treatment.
- Encourage our state and federal legislators to support blood cancer issues. With your help, LLS brings to the attention of lawmakers the urgent need for increased government funding and support of research and patient access to affordable treatment and quality care.
4. What can others do to help?
You can support our cause by
donating, becoming an
advocate, or by learning how to get involved in one of our
Team LLS programs.
5. How has PayPal helped donors give to LLS?
A significant portion of our donations are through PayPal on our website. PayPal is well known, trusted and an easy and secure way for people to donate. Our users love PayPal and we appreciate your partnership.
Clam Lorenz, GM of Social Innovation, PayPal