Contact: Marcie Klein
(914) 821-8205
marcie.klein@lls.org

White Plains, NY (Aug. 31, 2015) – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), the world's leading voluntary non-profit dedicated to blood cancers, released 30 “proof points” -- one for each day of September, Blood Cancer Awareness Month -- to demonstrate its impact on the cancer landscape and progress towards a world without blood cancers.

LLS has invested more than $1 billion in research to advance breakthrough therapies and cures for blood cancer patients. In many cases, those treatments are now helping patients with other cancers and chronic diseases. With its focus on blood cancers, LLS has contributed to increasing survival rates; since the early 1960s, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled.

According to LLS president and chief executive officer Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D., “While we've made tremendous progress in bringing research from bench to bedside, there are still 1.2 million people in the U.S. living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer. And, more than one third of blood cancer patients do not survive five years after diagnosis. We need to do more. Unlike with other cancers you cannot screen for or prevent most blood cancers. We must focus on cures.”

Some of LLS's Proof Points:

• In its 66 years, LLS has invested more than $1 billion in advancing research to fund lifesaving treatments and cures for blood cancer patients and ensure that patients have access to those treatments. Last year alone, LLS invested nearly $79.8 million in cutting-edge research, and currently is funding approximately 300 academic research grants around the world.

• Nearly 15 years ago, LLS made history with its funding of Brian Druker, M.D., and his research team at Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute, to develop a therapy to tame one of the most lethal blood cancers, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and saved the lives of thousands of patients who now manage their CML with just one pill a day.

• To build on that success, LLS launched a groundbreaking Beat AML collaboration in 2013 with Dr. Druker, his team at OHSU, and top universities and technology companies, to deploy the most cutting-edge research methods, to do for patients with AML what LLS enabled him to achieve with CML.

• LLS is a catalyst for collaboration, bringing together the biotech industry, government and medical institutions to help discover and bring new drugs to patients. LLS recognized that therapies are not getting to patients fast enough, and created the Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP) to forge these collaborations, which are leading to faster drug discovery and development.

• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the leading source of free blood cancer information and support for patients, families, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

• LLS is an advocate for blood cancer patients to drive laws and policies that ensure access to affordable healthcare for blood cancer patients. LLS has helped advance laws in 39 states to ensure coverage and payment parity for cancer medications, regardless of how or where administered.

• LLS is working with thousands of national partners, sponsors and corporate teams to fund lifesaving research and support for people battling cancer through fundraising initiatives. For the 14th consecutive year, Burlington serves as the #1 National Corporate Partner and Honored Friend of the Light The Night Walk campaign, and 2014 Top Fundraising National Corporate Partner Team. Over the past 13 years, Burlington has raised more than $22 million to help fund innovative cancer research and patient services by engaging its customers to purchase paper icons at checkout.

"We encourage everyone to help us raise awareness of blood cancer this month," urged DeGennaro. “Everyone can have an impact and help LLS create a world without blood cancers."

Visit www.LLS.org to learn more about LLS's mission and impact, and to help LLS make someday, today, for blood cancer patients. Help raise $400,000 in 30 days. Donate and help save lives.  

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to 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 White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters 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.