Charity Spotlight: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Cause
It is estimated that every three minutes, someone in the Unites States is diagnosed with a blood cancer, and every nine minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. It’s expected that over 10 percent of the 1,688,780 new cancer cases diagnosed in the country this year will be leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
Blood cancers, which include leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) affect bone marrow, blood cells, lymph nodes and other parts of the lymphatic system.
There is currently no known way to prevent blood cancers, and there are no early detection methods.
“There’s no mammogram for leukemia,” said executive director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Arizona Chapter, Jim Brewer. “There’s no early detection and no prevention.”
Fortunately, those diagnosed with one of these cancers are facing new treatment options, and higher survival rates, largely thanks to research funded by organizations like the Leukemia and Lymphoma.
Fifty years ago less than 10 percent of those diagnosed with a childhood leukemia survived, now more than 90 percent of patients survive, according to Brewer.
“Even in the last 20 years targeted therapies have changed the treatment landscape,” he said. “There won’t be one single cure for cancer. There will be a cornucopia of different things that can help depending on what kind of cancer you have.”
 
The Story
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) was founded in 1944, and is now the world’s largest nonprofit health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing patient services.
“The mission has remained pretty much the same,” Brewer said. “We’re the largest voluntary health agency in the world dedicated to fighting blood cancer, primarily through raising money.”
The Arizona chapter, which was founded in 1963, funds research and helps to assist the nearly 21,000 Arizonans are battling a blood cancer with support networks, financial aid and other resources.
“We fund research around the world,” said Brewer. “We support the best research wherever it is, and look for projects that are truly transformational.”
This research is funded in large part by the Arizona chapter’s four signature events – Light the Night, which boasts over a million participants nationwide, Man & Woman of the Year, Team in Training and Pennies for Patients.
“There’s something for everybody; whether you’re a family, student, community leader, or someone who enjoys physical activity,” said Brewer.
“We’re really, truly working in partnership with our community to save lives,” he continued.
 
The Event
This year will mark the fifth Man & Woman of the Year competition in Phoenix – an event that has grown in Arizona to include a Tucson event, and even a version of the event tailored for high-school aged participants called Students of the Year.
The Man & Woman of the Year fundraiser challenges community leaders to raise funds for LLS in honor of local children who are blood cancer survivors – represented by the Boy & Girl of the Year.
Candidates raise money through a variety of different fundraising events that they plan, over a 10-week period. Each dollar they raise counts as a vote, and the participant with the most votes at the end of the competition wins.
The Grand Finale Celebration, and winner announcement, will take place on Saturday, June 10 at Talking Stick Resort, and reveal the total amount of money raised.
The first year, the competition had 11 candidates who raised $220,000, and in 2016, the event boasted 17 candidates who raised $667,000 over the course of their 10-week fundraising competition.
“It’s become well known as a fun and meaningful charitable thing to do,” said Brewer.
The Grand Finale celebration features a silent auction, live auction and cocktail reception.