Illumination Nation: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society "Light The Night®" Against Blood Cancers

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 14^th year in a row, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) aims to stomp out blood cancer through the Light The Night^® (LTN) Walk (www.LightTheNight.org). The LTN Walk is a powerful and unique fundraising campaign of LLS, which brings together families and communities to honor blood cancer survivors, as well as those lost to the disease, and shines a light on the importance of finding cures and providing access to treatments for blood cancer patients. Through LTN, anyone big, small, young and old can have maximum impact on the LLS mission to find cures and improve the quality of life for blood cancer patients and their families. As there is no means of preventing or early screening for blood cancer, LTN is helping LLS bring light to the dark world of cancer.

LLS is determined to make a demonstrable difference, today. Thanks to nationwide employee, volunteer and community participation in these powerful walks, LLS continues to be driven with pride, purpose and hope until blood cancer has been eradicated!

Since it began in 1999, this national program of more than 200 walks across North America each fall, has helped LLS invest more than $875 million in research to advance breakthrough cancer treatments that are saving lives today. In 2012 alone, LTN teams raised $55 million for blood cancer research. LTN's 100 national partners and sponsors contributed $13.2 million to the LLS mission in the last year; Burlington Coat Factory alone has raised more than $16 million in its 11-year partnership with LLS

"LLS has made enormous strides towards achieving a world free of blood cancers but we have not done it alone," said John Walter, LLS president and chief executive officer. "LLS continues to help advance blood cancer therapies and improve the quality of life of patients. Every step we take in our communities -- and every investment we make -- brings us one step closer to finding cures."

Despite advances in survival rates, about half of blood cancer patients do not survive, so more funding is needed to advance research and ensure access to treatments. You can help LLS achieve its goal of a world without blood cancers by joining LTN.

For more information about LTN and to view a multimedia release, including the inspirational campaign public service announcement, please visit www.LLSLightTheNight.org. LLS is also on Facebook and Twitter. For more information and to sign up for a walk, go to www.LightTheNight.org and www.LLS.org. For the complete list of national partners, please click here.

About "Someday Is Today"

In 2013, LLS launched its first-ever marketing and branding campaign to highlight the remarkable progress that this global organization and its partners in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, academia, government and medical settings are making right now to change the face of blood cancer.

The blood cancer community is at an extraordinary moment: lives are being saved today. LLS's new signature campaign, "Someday Is Today," is designed to raise awareness of its mission and achievements. For example:

• In the past 50 years the survival rate for many blood cancer patients has doubled, tripled or even quadrupled
• Advances achieved in part through LLS-funded research in the past 50-plus years have increased the five-year survival rate for the most common form of childhood leukemia from three to 90 percent
• LLS partners closely with leading universities and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to get treatments to patients faster than ever before
• LLS research grants have funded today's most promising advances, including targeted therapies (such as Gleevec^®, Velcade^®, Kyprolis^®) and immunotherapies (such as Rituxan^®)
• Nearly 50 percent of all cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in the last 12 years were first approved to treat patients with blood cancers
• LLS launched the Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP) in 2007, to advance development of new therapies and diagnostics by bridging the gap between discovery and human applications, and to increase the likelihood that novel, even breakthrough treatments will be available to patients as soon as possible

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society^® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to curing 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 and provides free information and support services for patients and their loved ones.

Major LLS fundraising campaigns include Team In Training, Light The Night Walk, School & Youth, Man & Woman of the Year and Leukemia Cup Regatta. To reach the widest possible audience, LLS partners with national and regional level companies and brands, including Nike, Disney, Burlington and others.

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 and caregivers should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Contacts:
Marcie Klein
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
914.821.8205
[email protected]

Carrie Rose
Ketchum
646.935.3938
[email protected]

SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society