Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Rye Brook,  NY 
United States
http://www.lls.org
  • Booth: 1445

The mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since our founding, LLS has invested nearly $1.5 billion in research. This has led to game changing advances in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine. The treatments we’ve supported for blood cancers are now saving the lives of people affected by many different types of cancer.

LLS exists to create a world without blood cancers. We work tirelessly to find cures and ensure patients can access the lifesaving treatments they need. When someone experiences the fear and uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis, we provide hope, guidance, education and support.


 Press Releases

  • Rye Brook, N.Y. - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is proud to announce that its strong financial health and ongoing accountability and transparency have earned LLS a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. This rating designates LLS as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that our organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria. Charity Navigator is America’s largest and most-utilized independent charity evaluator. Since 2001, the organization has been an unbiased and trusted source of information for more than 11 million donors annually.

    Charity Navigator analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators, referred to as beacons. Currently, nonprofits can earn scores for the Impact & Results, Accountability & Finance, Culture & Community, and Leadership & Adaptability beacons.

    “We are delighted to provide The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence,” said Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. “The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that LLS is able to accomplish in the years ahead.”

    “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator is a testament to our effective and diligent stewardship of donor dollars that enables LLS to transform treatment and care for blood cancer patients through investments in research and support services and advocacy for patient-focused policies,” said Louis J. DeGennaro, President and CEO of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). “We hope this achievement will introduce LLS to new supporters who will champion our mission to save lives and improve the quality of life for blood cancer patients and their families.”

    LLS is proud of the results accomplished through its significant mission investment. LLS has invested nearly $1.5 billion in research since our founding in 1949. In the last 5 years alone, we have helped advance 75% of the almost 100 blood cancer treatment options approved by the Food and Drug Administration. And LLS has increased its investment in pediatric blood cancer research and support to ensure that children with blood cancer not only survive their cancer but thrive in their lives after treatment.

    LLS’s impact is also evident in the work of its Information Specialists who address approximately 20,000 patient inquiries a year, and the support of more than 200 volunteer advocacy leaders working on the ground in their state capitals and in Washington, D.C., and more than 30,000 active online volunteer advocates. LLS remains steadfast in our work to find cures for blood cancers and ensure that patients have access to lifesaving treatments.  

    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on charitynavigator.org.

    About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)

    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.

    LLS is one of Fast Company's "2022 Brands That Matter." As the only cancer organization on the list, LLS stands out among brands around the world for its relevancy, cultural impact, ingenuity, and mission impact.

    For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

  • [Rye Brook, NY], October 25, 2022 – Fast Company announced today its second annual Brands That Matter list, honoring brands that communicate and demonstrate brand purpose. These companies and nonprofits have achieved relevance through cultural impact and social engagement and authentically communicated their missions and ideals.

    The final list, which includes large multinational conglomerates, small-but-mighty companies, and nonprofits, recognizes 144 brands that give people compelling reasons to care about them—and offer inspiration for others to buy in. All 144 have found an ability to forge an emotional connection with customers, whether leading on the environment or pop culture, engaging B2B customers, or responding meaningfully to current events.

    All brands that applied were considered for overall recognition. Additionally, there are also honorees on category-specific lists based on region, size, and status.

    “This year, we’ve expanded the Brands That Matter program to evaluate honorees in the context of how they matter within the category in which they compete for people’s attention or loyalty. The result is a wide-ranging list of honorees that are making their mark on culture and through social impact,” said Brendan Vaughan, Fast Company’s editor-in-chief.

    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) tirelessly innovates to respond to the needs of an ever-changing world, while advancing its mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. When patients across the country faced increased hardship and struggled to receive crucial medical care, LLS over-delivered to meet the needs of the blood cancer community, including:

    • Activating the LLS National Patient Registry, a project of the Michael J. Garil Patient Data Collective, which captured the largest data set to date (12,000 patients) on vaccine safety and efficacy for all major blood cancer and treatment types. The registry informed national public health policy, including the CDC’s approval of a third COVID-19 booster for immunocompromised patients.
    • Connecting people in times of growing isolation—reaching 23% more through online support groups and connecting 31% more blood cancer patients with lifesaving clinical trials.
    • Expanding clinical trials to underserved community-based hospitals and clinics in urban, rural, and low-income communities.
    • Galvanizing pediatric cancer care, an area lacking innovation for 50 years, by putting $175 million toward transforming treatment for kids with blood cancer with the Dare to Dream project.
    • Providing relief for those impacted by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian through the LLS Financial Relief Fund.

    Through it all, LLS exceeded its goals by 23%, raising $168 million through Light The NightTeam In TrainingVisionaries of the Year, and other in-person events, to fund more research and services than ever.

    "It's an honor to be recognized as the only cancer organization and the only healthcare organization in the not-for-profit category. This is an important moment to acknowledge our success depends on so many others. We are not the authors of our innovation but steward it with the power we have as conveners,” said Troy Dunmire, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s COO. “It’s everyone we collaborate with—the patients, philanthropists, partners, volunteers, researchers, and healthcare providers—who make our mission possible.”

    Every action matters, and there are so many ways to support LLS's mission: Donate at LLS.org to advance research and help more patients and families, become an advocate for better healthcare policies, engage with one of many volunteer opportunities, or follow on social media (@LLSusa).

    Fast Company editors judged each brand on relevancy, cultural impact, ingenuity, and business impact to compile the list.

    Click here to see the complete list.

    The November issue of Fast Company magazine is available online now and will be on newsstands beginning November 1, 2022.

    About Fast Company

    Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Brendan Vaughan. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

    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.

    LLS is one of Fast Company's "2022 Brands That Matter." As the only cancer organization on the list, LLS stands out among brands around the world for its relevancy, cultural impact, ingenuity, and mission impact.

    For additional information, visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

  • Rye Brook, N.Y., June 29, 2022 – The global leader in the fight against blood cancers, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), announced the launch of its Pediatric Acute Leukemia (PedAL) Master Clinical Trial, an unprecedented international collaboration led by LLS designed to fundamentally change how children with acute leukemias are treated.

    PedAL is a key component of Dare to Dream, a bolder rebrand of the LLS Children’s Initiative, which envisions a world where childhood blood cancer patients not only survive but thrive after treatment. As a multi-year initiative, Dare to Dream also expands education and support services for patients and families, drives advocacy and policy efforts, and increases investments in childhood blood cancer research. 

    “Because of the project’s success over the past three years, we have increased Dare to Dream’s ambitious fundraising goal to $175 million and are committed to fundamentally changing treatment and care over the next five years through advocacy, patient support, research and PedAL,” Gwen Nichols, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at LLS and co-chair of PedAL, said. 


    The Need to Accelerate Safer Treatment Options for Kids

    The goal of PedAL is to expedite the development of new targeted treatments for hard-to-treat childhood leukemias and replace one-size-fits-all chemotherapy with therapies tailored to each child’s unique tumor biology. 

    “Children are not little adults. Their bodies work in different ways, and they undergo changes as they grow, which means we need different treatment approaches, especially for children with relapsed acute leukemias,” Dr. Nichols said. “Our vision is to identify the unique tumor biology of each child’s cancer to help match them with the most promising treatment.” 

    Because blood cancers are more common in adults, there is a larger incentive for new treatments to be developed in that population, and progress for pediatric acute leukemia has fallen behind. For children, including those with aggressive forms of cancer, a delay in research and therapies can threaten their survival. Only 69% of kids with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will survive more than five years. Even when treatments are effective, more than 70% of childhood cancer survivors have a chronic health condition and 42% have a severe, disabling or life-threatening condition 30 years after diagnosis.

     “I lost my 9-year-old son, Zach, to AML following four years of brutal chemotherapy, full body radiation and three bone marrow transplants. Sadly, he died in the ICU on a ventilator from treatment-related toxicity. His little body couldn’t take any more,” said Julie Guillot, LLS ambassador and pediatric outreach chair. “Despite great progress, kids like Zach wait longer than adults to get access to new drugs. This is unacceptable. I’m hopeful that PedAL will enable every child – regardless of situation or location – to get access to cutting-edge personalized and targeted therapies faster. These kids want to live and deserve less toxic, more curative options.”

    In the PedAL screening trial (COG Study APAL2020SC), the unique tumor biology of each child’s cancer is identified to help match them with the most promising treatment. Families can then choose to enroll eligible children in a PedAL therapeutic trial or any other clinical trial that best meets their needs.

    “As we’re learning that children have a unique disease with unique targets, efforts like PedAL are critical to address the specific needs of our youngest, most vulnerable patients by using new, safer therapies,” said screening trial lead Dr. Todd Cooper, section chief of Pediatric Oncology and director of the Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Program and co-director of the High-Risk Leukemia Program at Seattle Children’s. “The screening trial is significant because it will identify biological targets in a child’s specific leukemia cells and match them to clinical trials using targeted therapies. These tumor biology results will be assessed the same way from children around the globe, helping us advance research into more targeted treatments worldwide.”


    Harnessing Partnerships to Accelerate Science 

    PedAL is the first global master clinical trial for pediatric acute leukemia to be led by a nonprofit featuring a broad, global collaboration with industry leaders and academic institutions. 

    Through partnerships with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health; Children’s Oncology Group (COG); and the European Pediatric Acute Leukemia (EuPAL) Foundation, PedAL trials will be available to children and families worldwide – bringing the dream of safer, more effective pediatric leukemia treatments closer to home for more people.

    • Multiple screening trial sites are open in Canada and the United States. The first therapeutic trial is open in the U.S. at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, with more sites to open throughout 2022 and into the next year. 
    • Led by the University of Chicago’s Pediatric Cancer Data Commons (PCDC), the AML Data Commons will consolidate pediatric clinical trial data from multiple international institutions into a single, unified data set to ensure consistency in data collection, analysis and reporting. This will be the largest collection of data from children with leukemia available for researchers.
    • With support from LLS, the PCDC is also developing GEARBOx (Genomic Eligibility Algorithm at Relapse for Better Outcomes), a unique search tool that will help healthcare professionals all over the world quickly match patients who have relapsed or refractory disease to appropriate clinical trials and lifesaving treatments. In addition, all families and their clinicians can also access support from LLS Clinical Trial Nurse Navigators, registered nurses with oncology training who can help families understand and navigate the clinical trial enrollment process.

    “PedAL brings together worldwide leaders in pediatric acute leukemia to conceive, develop and implement this groundbreaking global master clinical trial. With our partners, we will create the largest single source of data for children with acute leukemias and provide the opportunity for families to enroll their children in screening and therapeutic sites across the globe,” said E. Anders Kolb, M.D., Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Chief of Oncology and Hematology, chair of the COG AML Committee, and co-chair of PedAL. “We want to make PedAL accessible to as many children and their families as possible, which also aligns with the mission at Nemours Children’s Health as we seek to expand access to care and create the healthiest generations of children.”

    For more information about PedAL, including trial details and who is eligible to participate, visit: lls.org/dare-to-dream


    About The Dare to Dream Project 

    Dare to Dream is a five-year initiative by LLS to transform treatment and care for pediatric blood cancer. Because kids are different and need to be treated differently, Dare to Dream will fund groundbreaking research and the LLS PedAL Master Clinical Trial as well as expand LLS support services and drive advocacy efforts to help all kids with blood cancers get accessible, affordable, quality healthcare. 

    LLS proudly and gratefully acknowledges all those contributing to the LLS mission, including corporate partners Walgreens, Burlington and Wawa, who have each pledged over $1 million to Dare to Dream. LLS also recognizes Sarah Asma and the Moore family; The Don & Lorraine Freeberg Foundation; The Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Foundation; Norcross Foundation, Inc.; Joan and Paul Rubschlager; and The Bobby Zahurak Pediatric AML Research and Patient Support Fund for their outstanding contributions to Dare to Dream.

    For more information about Dare to Dream, including resources for patients and their families, trial details, and eligibility, visit: lls.org/dare-to-dream.

    About PedAL

    As part of The Dare to Dream Project, the Pediatric Acute Leukemia Master Trial (PedAL) is the first-of-its-kind global master clinical trial for pediatric acute leukemia patients that will fundamentally change how children are treated. Prior to enrolling in therapeutic trials, patients enroll in the PedAL screening trial to identify the unique tumor biology of each child’s cancer and help them to match with the most promising treatment. Multiple screening trial sites are currently open in the United States and Canada. At this time, one PedAL therapeutic trial is open in the U.S., with more planned globally. The screening trial will be available in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. To learn more about PedAL, visit lls.org/dare-to-dream

    PedAL would not be possible without the support of major foundation donors such as Gateway for Cancer Research, which pledged $1.5 million over three years to support genomic sequencing and flow cytometry, which will be conducted through the PedAL screening trial, and the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation, which has committed over $1.2 million over five years to support the PedAL Principal Investigators Fellowship Program, whose members will be leading the PedAL therapeutic trials.


    About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a 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 FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.


    About The Children’s Oncology Group (COG)

    COG (childrensoncologygroup.org), a member of NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. COG unites over 10,000 experts in childhood cancer at more than 200 leading children’s hospitals, universities and cancer centers across North America, Australia and New Zealand in the fight against childhood cancer. Today, more than 90% of the 16,000 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States are cared for at COG member institutions. Research performed by COG institutions over the past 50 years has transformed childhood cancer from a virtually incurable disease to one with a combined five-year survival rate of 80%. COG’s mission is to improve the cure rate and outcomes for all children with cancer.

  • (Rye Brook, NY- September 14, 2022)  –  When you or someone you love hears the words ‘you have cancer,’ it's perhaps the darkest moment in your life. Today, the global leader in the fight against blood cancer, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), kicked off its trailblazing 2022 Light The Night® campaign bringing together communities to share hope and light — two things that can feel needed and inspiring to those contending with the ripple effects of blood cancer.

    Culminating in over 100 evening events each fall, communities across North America will join together at Light The Night carrying illuminated lanterns to take steps to end cancer – white for survivors, red for supporters, and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer.

    The funds raised through Light The Night are used to support LLS’s mission priorities: ResearchEducation & Support and Policy & Advocacy. Through campaigns like Light The Night, LLS has invested more than $1.5 billion since its inception in research to advance breakthrough therapies.

    New this year, LLS proudly introduced its first Light The Night College Ambassador, Davis Warren. 
    Warren is a leukemia survivor, who not only battled cancer to get back on the field, but he has thrived and is currently a quarterback for a Power Five team, the University of Michigan Wolverines. Warren wants to inspire and help others in their battle with cancer.

    “Every 180 seconds, someone in the U.S. has their life turned upside down by a blood cancer diagnosis,” said Coker Powell, LLS Chief Development Officer. “Through Light The Night, communities envision a world one day without the devastation of blood cancer.”

    LLS knows that inspiration is crucial to navigating a complex blood cancer journey, and they certainly were for 2022 National Light The Night Honored Hero, Harper, who was diagnosed with infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia at just 10 weeks old, with a 10 percent chance of survival.

    After being admitted to her local children’s hospital, Harper was enrolled in an LLS-funded clinical trial that saved her life. She is now a healthy five-year-old in remission, and her family raises funds for Light The Night in her honor.

    While many children survive leukemia, the most common type of pediatric cancer, the treatments are harsh and outdated. Through LLS’s Dare to Dream Project, LLS is taking on children’s cancer from every direction, disrupting the status quo with a bold vision for young patients – to not only survive their cancer, but thrive in their lives after treatment.

    As LLS’s National Light The Night Presenting Sponsors of Survivorship & Hope since 2018, Pharmacyclics, LLC, an Abbvie Company and the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson* joined forces with LLS to shine a spotlight on what it means to be a cancer survivor. And LLS is thrilled to announce in its inaugural year the National Light The Night Presenting Sponsor of Celebration & Community, Kite, a Gilead Company.

    “Creating a world without blood cancer takes all of us,” said Powell. “And LLS proudly and gratefully acknowledges the generosity of our supporters.”

    LLS sponsors include National Presenting Sponsor of Survivorship & Hope, Pharmacyclics, LLC, an Abbvie Company and the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, National Presenting Sponsor of Celebration & Community, Kite, a Gilead Company, and the following Light The Night National Partners who contribute immensely to the LLS mission, Leading Lights: Walgreens and The Wawa Foundation; Luminary Sponsors: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Burn Boot Camp, Elbit Systems of America, FIS, Genentech, Pfizer, Takeda Oncology.

    For more information or to get involved, visit www.lightthenight.org and follow on social media, @LLSusa, #LightTheNight.

    Blood cancer patients and their families should contact the LLS Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., ET

    About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma. 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 regional offices throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the LLS 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 FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

    Footnote

    *Sponsorship funding provided by Janssen Biotech, Inc.