The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society kicks off philanthropic campaign Light The Night; communities nationwide encouraged to learn why awareness and support is critical
See full multimedia press release here.
Rye Brook, NY (September 3, 2024) – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has officially kicked-off its 31st annual Light The Night campaign -- nearly 100 communities will join together carrying illuminated lanterns to take steps to end cancer. Since its inception in 1993, it has become LLS’s signature annual event series drawing supporters across North America throughout the fall to raise funds for groundbreaking blood cancer research and crucial patient resources and support.
“LLS relies on our philanthropic campaigns like Light The Night to help continue our critical work so that blood cancer patients can live longer better lives,” said Coker Powell, LLS Chief Revenue Officer.
There are more than 100 types of blood cancer that affect more than 1.6 million people in the U.S. That doesn’t include the many more millions of people impacted as caregivers, families, friends, and loved ones.
September is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month and LLS is encouraging all communities to help patients and their families by joining or supporting a local Light The Night event. And according to E. Anders Kolb, M.D., President and CEO of LLS, it’s also important to learn about the disease.
“Blood cancer isn’t often called ‘blood cancer',” said Dr. Kolb. “Unlike breast cancers or brain cancers, which have so much more awareness, blood cancers are not as recognizable for patients. People might know ‘leukemia’ or one of the other 100+ names, but they may not know these as blood cancers - receiving the right information and support early when diagnosed can help lead to better outcomes.”
LLS’s commitment to blood cancer patients and their families goes beyond research and advocacy efforts to include free, critical support services and resources that help patients throughout their entire cancer experience into survivorship.
This year’s national Light The Night honored hero, 10-year-old Ben Tappana of Yorktown Heights, NY, is proud to share his survivor story. In 2019, he was constantly getting sick with multiple infections but when he started getting pain in his hips that made him unable to walk, his family realized there was something more going on.
After two long weeks of testing, including four bone marrow biopsies, Ben was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
"We felt incredibly fearful but tried our best to comfort and reassure our very confused and ill little boy," his mother, Maggie, recalls.
The drawn-out diagnosis process and the chemotherapy that followed were unimaginably difficult for Ben and his family, but he finally finished treatment in June of 2022. Today, Ben and his family spread awareness in efforts to give hope to others navigating a blood cancer diagnosis.
Recently listed in PeertoPeer Forum’s top 10 peer-to-peer fundraising programs, Light The Night has helped LLS invest more than $1.7 billion in cutting-edge research worldwide, fueling nearly every critical advancement in blood cancer treatment that spans the most promising cancer research.
To ensure Light The Night reaches as many patients and families as possible, LLS is proud to announce the 2024 Light The Night National Sponsors.
“LLS is incredibly grateful for our new and longstanding partnerships and the passion and generosity of our supporters,” said Powell. “Together, we are changing lives.”
National Presenting Sponsor of Survivorship and Hope
BeiGene
National Presenting Sponsor of Celebration and Community
Gilead and Kite Oncology
Leading Lights
Walgreens, The Wawa Foundation, and Builders FirstSource
Luminary
AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, , Bristol Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Novartis, and Pfizer.
Register for a Light The Night event in your area here, www.lightthenight.org/search-events and follow on social media, @LLSusa, #LightTheNight.
Members of the media seeking more information or an interview, please contact: mediarelations@lls.org.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the global leader in the fight against blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
For additional information, visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
