The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society teams up with Stater Bros. Charities for 6th year of "Light The Night" Campaign

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is teaming up once again with Stater Bros. Charities for the sixth year of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light The Night" fundraising campaign to raise awareness and funds for Leukemia, Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Myeloma and Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110222/LA52553LOGO)

Last year, "Light The Night" raised $364,194 by selling $1 paper balloons at the registers in all Stater Bros. Supermarkets throughout Southern California. The campaign has raised over $1.5 million for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since it's launch in 2008.  This year's campaign will run from June 5th to June 25th and is expected, once again, to make a big impact on the support for programs and services administered by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  The funds raised during the campaign directly benefit the Southern California community in the form of educational programs, family support groups and informational sessions for healthcare professionals to discuss the disease and ways to find a cure.

"The Stater Bros. 'Family' has a long history of giving back to our friends and neighbors in the communities we are privileged to serve," stated Jack H. Brown, Chairman and CEO of Stater Bros. Markets.  "We are especially pleased to be able to host this very successful paper balloon program in all our stores."

"The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is extremely grateful to Stater Bros., its employees and customers who are helping to make a difference in the lives of so many patients and their families through this initiative," said John Walter, LLS President and CEO.  "Stater Bros. has raised more than $1.5 million since they started participating in the paper balloon icon program, and that incredible effort is going a long way toward helping LLS advance its mission."

This year's campaign will feature local patients/survivors whose inspiring stories will be on display at Stater Bros. Supermarkets.  Customers will get to know the following featured heroes:

Kimie Metcalf, 7 years old, of San Bernardino County was diagnosed with a rare subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) called AF4/MLL at 4 years old. Within the first month of treatment, Kimie went into remission. She will continue on her treatment and maintenance routine for the next year and a half and then stop all treatment.

Maraya Perez, 2 years old, of Riverside County was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at just five months old. She has had five different central lines, many lumbar punctures and bone marrow tests. Maraya is now in her maintenance phase of treatment and her last day of treatment will be on October 17, 2013.

Noah Wehner, 12 years old, of Orange County was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) when he was three and a half years old.  He underwent 13 months of intense chemotherapy and endured two more years of maintenance chemotherapy.  He is now in 6^th grade and continues to remain in remission.

Gavin Wolfrank, 7 years old, of Los Angeles County was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) at just seven months old.  Gavin went through three and a half years of chemotherapy and after relapsing he underwent a bone marrow transplant and is now cancer free.

Ashe Valadez, 5 years old, of San Diego County was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) a year ago.  That day marked the first 29 days spent undergoing chemotherapy.  He left the hospital in remission but has three and half years of chemotherapy ahead of him.

Ryan Wilson, 5 years old, of Kern County was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when he was 17 months old. This form of leukemia is very rare and very aggressive.  Ryan was able to receive a bone marrow transplant from his twin sister Lauren.  Ryan just celebrated his four-year remission anniversary and is currently doing great.

Through research and educational programs, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is helping find ways to help children like the featured heroes listed above.

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 and provides free information and support services.  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 or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org.

About Stater Bros. Charities
Stater Bros. Charities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports critical needs in the communities where Stater Bros. employees live and work.  Since 2008, Stater Bros. Charities has provided funding to countless local organizations and causes that benefit hunger relief, children-in-need, education for both youth and adults, services for the elderly and care for our Nation's Veterans.  Funds are raised throughout the year from generous customers, supplier friends, and caring members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family.  For more information log onto www.staterbros.com.

About Stater Bros. Markets
Stater Bros. was founded in 1936 in Yucaipa, California, and has grown steadily through the years to become the largest privately owned Supermarket Chain in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino County and Riverside County, with annual sales in 2012 of $3.9 billion.  The Company currently operates 166 Supermarkets, and there are over 18,000 members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family.  Throughout the year 2013, Stater Bros. will be celebrating 77 years of proudly serving Southern California Families.

Contact:
Susan Atkinson
Vice President Corporate Affairs
Stater Bros. Markets
909-733-5038
[email protected]

SOURCE Stater Bros. Charities