As we transition from one year to the next, we often reflect on milestones achieved, challenges faced, and moments shared with those we love. It’s a time to focus on what’s most important—family, community, and how we’ll spend our time going forward. At the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), we know that time is more than just a passing moment for blood cancer patients. It’s the most valuable gift they can receive.
Every day, new patients hear the words "You have cancer," and for them, time becomes precious. Whether it is moments spent with family, the opportunity to reach special milestones, or simply more years to live life, time is everything.
Rashad’s Story: More Time to Inspire, More Time to Live
No one understands the importance of time more than Rashad Hayes, a young adult blood cancer survivor. Rashad was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma at 22, a slow-growing cancer that is currently incurable. His cancer diagnosis has shifted his view on life, time, and purpose.
In his own words, Rashad shares:
“My diagnosis taught me that life is shorter than expected. I was an athlete and felt as if I was invincible. After treatment, I learned that life is all about perspective and your response to adversity.”
Through his experience with cancer, Rashad found a new purpose: to help others, particularly those facing similar health challenges. Today, he is not only a survivor but an advocate, speaker, and resilience expert, as well. Rashad has launched a speaking firm to help healthcare professionals embrace resilience, prevent burnout, and turn adversity into opportunity. He is also a PhD candidate, researching how adverse childhood experiences can inform strategies to combat burnout and build resilience.
Rashad has taken his story, one of survival, strength, and perseverance, and turned it into a source of inspiration for others. He has shared his lessons with other survivors, including a nine-year-old battling leukemia, encouraging him despite the uncertainty that blood cancer brings. Rashad said:
“I realized that I was diagnosed and able to go through it so that I could begin to help others on their journey,” he says. “Cancer couldn’t stop me, and I won’t allow it to stop him from dreaming.”
Rashad’s friend and mentor Matt unfortunately passed away due to cancer, and Rashad honors his memory by continuing to push forward. Of Matt, Rashad said:
“His belief in me was what I needed not to feel sorry for myself but to learn to use this new version of myself. It's a reason why I fight so hard now to stay focused on my goals and mission. I may have cancer, but cancer does not have me.”
Giving More Time: LLS's Commitment to Blood Cancer Patients
Rashad’s story is just one example of the profound impact that more time can have on a patient’s life. At LLS, we are working tirelessly to ensure that more blood cancer patients like Rashad have the gift of time—time to achieve milestones, build memories, and live longer, better lives.
This year, we have made significant strides including:
- Awarding $10.8 million in Equity in Access research grants to help eliminate healthcare barriers for underserved communities
- Driving laws in 9 states to protect patients from crippling medical debt
- Advocating for better healthcare policies with the support of 200 passionate volunteers
- Enabling more than 25,000 specialist-patient interactions to help provide the best care possible
- Providing more than $1.7 billion in financial assistance to patients in need
- Increasing our multi-year research investment to $332.3 million
- Supporting 15 new FDA approvals through October of 2024
- Enrolling more than 1,000 patients in our Beat AML Master Clinical Trial and 350 pediatric patients in our PedAL Master Clinical Trial
- Reaching nearly 100,000 Spanish-speaking Americans through outreach programs
We also continue to advance groundbreaking research for new treatments and therapies. In 2024, LLS made a $28 million pledge to support the development of innovative treatments like CAR-T and other immunotherapies, in hopes of giving patients like Rashad even more time.
Over the last 75 years, LLS has been connecting the dots of research, support, and advocacy to bring about progress that’s giving blood cancer patients more years of life to do what they love.
But while we’ve made progress, we’re not done. In fact, the urgency of our mission has never been greater. Today, nearly 1.7 million people are living with or in remission from blood cancer, and every day, almost 500 new patients are diagnosed. These patients need our support now more than ever.
The Need for More Time: How You Can Help
We’re asking for your support to continue our vital work. The gift of time is one that can transform lives. Whether it’s through funding cutting-edge research, providing financial assistance to patients in need, or advocating for policies that improve access to care, your contribution helps us create more moments — more birthdays, more holidays, more sunrises and sunsets for those facing blood cancer.
Our mission isn’t just about finding cures. It’s about ensuring that patients like Rashad can continue to inspire others, build their dreams, spend time with loved ones, and live fuller, healthier lives.
In this season of giving, we invite you to be part of something bigger. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring us one step closer to blood cancer being a thing of the past.
Time is everything. Let's work together to give more of it to those who need it most.
Thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor, your tax-deductible gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar through December 31, 2024.
About the Author
Coker Powell is a forward-thinking development leader with a highly successful track record in creating and executing strategic plans to drive organizational growth and innovation. As executive vice president, chief revenue officer, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) she is responsible for leading all development work at both the local and enterprise levels, fulfilling a critical role for funding LLS’s mission. Powell oversees all aspects of revenue generation, including corporate partnerships, advancement, peer-to-peer fundraising, philanthropy, planned giving, direct mail, digital revenue, and community-based fundraising.
Since joining LLS in 2015, Powell has driven record-breaking growth, including a 26% increase in Light The Night revenue and the expansion of Student Visionaries of the Year to a national campaign, raising more than $45 million annually. She also led LLS to industry recognition, overseeing initiatives that raised more than $50 million in fiscal year 2024 and spearheading new programs like Dare to Dream Team to support LLS’s pediatric cancer initiative.
Powell has been a featured speaker at P2P Forum and the Customer Relationship Management Conference (CRMC) and has been recognized as a thought leader on the One Cause, Her Success Story and Engage for Good podcasts. She is a member of the CDO Council through Salesforce and has served as a past president of the alumni board of directors at Wofford College.
Prior to joining LLS, Powell was national director of Heart Walk field revenue at the American Heart Association, where she oversaw national strategic direction and revenue for more than 320 walk events. Powell holds a bachelor’s degree from Wofford College and a master’s degree in communication from Wake Forest University.