Bringing Hope for a Brighter Future

Now starting my fifth walk season doing Light The Night, my national co-captain Jenn reminded me in today’s post on the Friends of Heroes blog of one of the most important reasons for being involved. She reminded me that we are helping to offer HOPE to thousands of families each year battling these devastating diseases. In 1955, Leukemia was considered 100% fatal, now patient survival rates range from 50% to 95% depending on the type of blood cancer. The entire Friends of Heroes team is very hopefully that it will not be long before we can say that blood cancer and all cancers are 100% curable!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(LLS) is doing an amazing job at offering these patients hope for a brighter tomorrow through patient services and research. As Light The Night celebrates a Decade of Difference, look at what LLS has been able to accomplish in just the past 10 years alone:

• Nearly half a million patients and their caretakers have called the LLS Information Resource Center and received critical information about blood cancers, therapy options and issues surrounding treatment and survival.
• Nearly $40 million was disbursed to patients through the LLS Patient Assistance program to help them get the treatment they needed to fight their cancer.
• Over 100,000 patients and family members found comfort and hope through LLS First Connection and Family Support Groups.
• LLS granted $425 million to more than 400 scientists searching for cures and improved treatments for patients in just the past 10 years and has supported more than $600 million in research since its inception in 1949.
• LLS funding contributed to the development of a host of new drugs that are affecting patient survival and quality of life.
• LLS-funded researchers began working in novel areas that hold great promise for finding cures and better treatments including new, less toxic stem cell transplants, immunotherapies and other targeted therapies.
• Their Advocacy Network has successfully supported pro-patient legislation that will: - Help advance blood cancer research- Extend Medicare coverage to include oral anti-cancer drugs - Help fund efforts to reach underserved blood cancer patients
  (Source: LLS and Light The Night, 2008)

This is amazing for just 10 years!!!!!

Won't you please consider helping The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society bring help and hope to the thousands of people battling blood cancers?