Motivated by their grief, and recognizing the lack of resources, research, and treatment for leukemia patients, the de Villiers created LLS in hopes that no other family would have to go through what they did. Today, LLS is the second largest cancer-focused nonprofit in North America, according to Dr. DeGennaro. To date, it has put $1.5 billion into funding research and new treatments for people diagnosed with blood cancers.
Their Goal
From the time that it was founded, LLS has aimed to “raise funds, support research to find treatments, and help needy patients,” according to DeGennaro. “We continue to do all of those things, and stay true to the goals and objectives of our founders,” DeGennaro says. But as more and more people are surviving treatment, another goal has been added to the list: helping blood cancer patients and survivors thrive after completing treatment. “If you Google search ‘cancer survivor,’ what do you see? You see images of patients in their beds with IVs dripping in their arms,” DeGennaro says. “Our goal is to change that landscape.” Survivorship these days looks quite different. It’s more than simply surviving treatment. It’s having a life after treatment.
Services They Provide
LLS offers several services for blood cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. You can connect with an information specialist by phone or on their website, and discuss anything from the disease and your treatment options, to finding the right physician for you, to financial aid resources. LLS offers financial aid to help cover the cost of treatment, lab studies, transportation, and more, according to DeGennaro. “Cancer can be daunting, not only because of the kind of disease it is, but the cost,” DeGennaro says. Through LLS, you can find a support group near you or participate in their weekly online chats, where other patients, survivors, and caregivers gather to share their experiences. LLS also provides many educational resources — including recommended readings, helpful tools for caregivers, and their podcast, The Bloodline with LLS — all of which, and more, you can find on their website. “We want to support patients through every stage of their experience with cancer,” DeGennaro says. “From diagnosis, through treatment, all the way through their lives.”
Events
LLS hosts a number of fundraisers throughout the year. One of the society’s bigger events is called Light The Night, a family-focused walk that takes place in local communities all over the country and, “celebrates cancer survivors, recognizes those who have been lost to blood cancer, and allows supporters of blood cancer to come together,” DeGennaro says. “Every year, thousands of people come together in their local community to bring light to the darkness of cancer,” DeGennaro says. You can find and register for a Light The Night event near you on their website. LLS also hosts their Visionaries of the Year event, another fundraiser recognizing young professionals who have raised money for blood cancer research. You can learn more about LLS’s fundraising and advocacy work, and how to participate, on their events page.
Core Belief
“Our vision is a world without blood cancer,” DeGennaro says. “What we want is for patients to not only survive, but to thrive. We want them to have the best outcome possible, and live more productive lives without the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy.”
