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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

By Natalie Burg | Illustrations By Nadzeya Makeyeva


The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) had a monumental and busy year in 2021.

How busy? Thirty-five million dollars in new multi-year funding for more than 260 blood cancer research programs. Over $241 million in financial assistance to 42,000 cancer patients. More than 26,000 interactions between patients and trained oncology professionals. And 30,000 active online volunteer advocates who wrote 56,161 letters to 834 state lawmakers and held 241 advocate meetings with members of Congress.

And that's just one of LLS's 73 years of dedication to fighting blood cancer on three fronts: research, patient support and education as well as policy and advocacy. Since its founding, LLS has helped expand what's possible for blood cancer patients, investing more than $1.5 billion in blood cancer research and helping to increase five-year survival rates for some blood cancers from nearly 0% to over 90%.

Of course, it's not just the dollars that have helped make such incredible strides for blood cancer—it’s the people: the researchers, educators, providers, fundraisers, donors, advocates, and the patients themselves.

Here, explore the stories of three LLS standouts and find out who’s competing in two of the nonprofit’s 2022 fundraising campaigns—Man & Woman Of The Year and Visionaries Of The Year.