The adage, “We are all fighting the same storm, but we are not fighting it from the same boat,” is more relevant amidst today’s global pandemic than ever before. This resonates particularly true for cancer patients, who are at increased risk of getting sicker if they contract COVID-19.
“Cancer will not wait for COVID-19 to go away,” says Gwen Nichols, MD, LLS Chief Medical Officer at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), a global leader in the fight against cancer. “And the patients we serve can’t wait either. Every nine minutes, somebody in the U.S. dies of a blood cancer, and there is no means of prevention — they need us now, more than ever.”
Individuals and communities nationwide are tapping into their inner creativity and survival skills to pivot to, at least for now, a virtual way of living. LLS is also tapping into its rich 70-year history of innovation to solve the most pressing challenges in the cancer arena and reinvent the current methods to fundraise for its lifesaving work.
Its signature fundraisers have helped LLS invest nearly $1.3 billion in cutting edge research worldwide, fueling nearly every critical advancement in blood cancer treatment that spans the most promising treatment approaches now being tested in clinical trials for other cancers and diseases, including COVID-19.
With scheduled in-person fundraising events off the calendar, LLS is encouraging individuals, families and communities across the country to join one of its many virtual fundraising campaigns to make a difference in the fight against cancer and to literally, save lives.
“Every single dollar makes a difference,” says Dr. Nichols. “From the comfort of your home or responsibly, in your own communities, you can still make an impact in the lives of cancer patients. The COVID-19 pandemic won’t stop us from uniting as a force in the fight against cancer, a disease that has impacted us all, for far too long.”
Dr. Nichols shares some of the ways you can get involved:
- Big Virtual Climb, LLS’s latest innovation in peer-to-peer fundraising, is your chance to stay fit and connect with others across the nation. On June 13, we will climb virtually up 61 stories and 1,762 steps of San Francisco’s iconic Salesforce Tower as one from coast to coast.
- Pennies for Patients is rolling out new free resources for schools in need, including STEM+ activities, tools to support children with social and emotional learning, and Hero Squad Live virtual classes for children on Facebook.
- Team In Training offers several virtual endurance training options to choose from so that we can support our teammates and beat cancer to the finish line.
- Man & Woman of the Year and Students of the Year campaigns are motivating passionate individuals and teams virtually to raise funds, culminating in incredibly meaningful Grand Finale virtual experiences to celebrate their tireless work and dedication.
- Light The Night Walk brings light to the darkness of cancer, and you can be sure LLS will create a new kind of event experience that’s as inspirational as ever to our legions of supporters across the country, to celebrate, honor or remember those touched by cancer.
The funds raised through LLS’s fundraising campaigns are used for:
- Research to advance targeted therapies and immunotherapies that are saving thousands of lives;
- Blood cancer information, education and support for patients;
- Policies that ensure patients have access to blood cancer treatments.
To learn more, visit www.lls.org/ways-to-help