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Unassuming Woman Turns Force to Be Reckoned With

millss — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:54:42 GMT

Karrie Munkittrick was, in her own words, reserved and unassuming - an artist, wife and mother of two healthy daughters. Then a single event turned her into a one-woman army. Her enemy? Leukemia. Not just any leukemia, but leukemia that attacked her tiny, two-month old nephew, Austin. The entire, extended family pitched in to support Austin, doing whatever they could, and sometimes just being there with him and giving his parents breathing room and time to spend with his big brother, Hunter. But when she wasn't helping in that way, Karrie started thinking about ways to help find cures.

She found a way - Light The Night Walk. Her initial Walk reinforced her belief that Light The Night Walk was a great way to support LLS in the search for cures. The following year, Karrie became a team captain, getting people to join the "Austin's Warriors" Light The Night team. She explains that asking people to donate money would normally have been difficult for her; but knowing that the money raised would help find cures for leukemia she became a dynamic fundraiser. As a team captain, she raised funds herself and acted as a rallying force, urging on her team, which raised more than $6,300 in 2009!

This year, she found another way to help. As her husband Michael explains, "She's been a light to so many people and it has changed her. Now she wants to go where few people would ever consider going." Karrie is very pretty, both inside and out, and has long, beautiful hair. She decided to shave her head as a participant in LLS's Totally Baldacious campaign, in which people raise funds by shaving their heads to show support and solidarity for patients who lose their hair during cancer treatments.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a blood cancer, LLS is here for you:
To speak to an information specialist, call (800) 955-4572, chat online at www.lls.org, or email infocenter@LLS.org.
Find peer support on the Blood Cancer Discussion Boards.
Support the fight against blood cancers with a gift to LLS.

Let’s Speak With One Voice to Increase Research Funding

millss — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:34:11 GMT

Thanks to cancer research efforts to date, 60 percent of all cancer deaths are now preventable. But today cancer still costs our nation 560,000 in lives lost and more than $228 billion in healthcare costs a year. And for many types of cancer, there are still no effective treatments.

Clearly, reducing cancer research funding for prevention and effective, less toxic treatments is unthinkable. At The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), cancer research has been the top priority since our founding in 1949. That’s why LLS is a long-standing a member of One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC).

OVAC is a coalition of national nonprofit organizations representing millions of people in the United States who have this message for Congress and the White House: Increase cancer research funding NOW. We all know there is strength in numbers. Won’t you add your voice?

Join LLS and OVAC in making sure your elected officials hear and heed this critical message. What are we asking?

We are asking Congress to increase the 2011 budgets of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) by $4.2 billion (13.5 percent) and the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) by $691 million (13.5 percent).

And we are asking you to advocate with us. Please visit LLS’s Legislative Action Center and urge your representatives to increase cancer research funding by sending the drafted email.

LLS and the other OVAC members have developed an ad that shows how more money for cancer research will benefit US health, not only physically but also economically. The ad is appearing in Capital area newspapers this week. You can download the ad from LLS’s website, then email or print and mail it to your representative’s office. You use LLS’s Legislative Search tool to find the office address.

Let’s speak with one voice now and give our legislators the clear message: Increase cancer research funding and save lives.

Should patients participate in disease registries?

millss — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:13:58 GMT

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) advocates for patients to participate in life-saving research in clinical trials. Clinical trials provide important data about carefully selected patient groups under controlled conditions. Another important way that patients can help the medical community to unlock causes, familial patterns and treatment trends is to take part in disease registries. These are comprehensive databases of disease and treatment information, for specific time periods and populations.

The databases are often used to analyze and interpret data about a common diagnosis. For example, when a person who has chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) provides his or her health information to a disease registry, comparisons can be made with other CLL patients. The intent might be to discover genetic patterns, learn about the effectiveness of specific treatments or track the ages at which CLL patients are diagnosed.  Before you agree to participate in a disease registry, you will receive written assurance about your privacy and other rights. Patient information is usually encoded so that your identity is concealed and your confidentiality is ensured. You can decide to stop participating at any time by notifying the disease registry.

LLS encourages people who have a blood cancer diagnosis to consider taking part in a disease registry. Since blood cancers are not common diseases, registries need to enroll as many patients as possible. It’s also important that disease registries include patients from all regions of the U.S. and from all walks of life. You and others living with a blood cancer can make a difference that will help the medical community better understand and treat blood cancers, giving patients hope now and in the future.

Learn more about disease registries, or find a disease registry with which you can share your health history. Rather talk with someone about disease registries on the phone? Give us a call at 1-800-955-4572.

Inspirational childhood leukemia patient dies

millss — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:49:43 GMT

We at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) were saddened to learn that 6-year-old Jasmina Anema lost her battle with leukemia last week. She had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called natural killer (NK) cell leukemia. This disease is difficult to treat. NK cell leukemia is usually treated with high-dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant using donor stem cells.   Jasmina’s need for a stem cell transplant donor with a tissue type that matched her own stem cells resulted in a fervent public campaign. It included a plea from Rihanna, one of Jasmina’s favorite celebrities. She did receive a transplant, and although it appeared to be successful, her leukemia returned. While she was well enough, Jasmina traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit President Barack Obama in the White House. You can read more about her courageous journey at the New York Daily News website.

Jasmina’s story reminds us of the importance of finding cures for all children who have leukemia. LLS is proud to support the critical research conducted on a daily basis so that one day every patient diagnosed with a blood cancer can expect to be cured.

This research depends heavily upon clinical trials, which requires the participation of patients who can help researchers as they work to bring breakthrough therapies to the public. Patients who are considering participating in clinical trials should be confident that they are receiving safe and high quality treatment and are helping to pave the way for future cancer patients to receive life-saving drugs and therapies. If you have been diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma or another blood cancer we encourage you to visit TrialCheck® to see if there is a clinical trial in which you can participate.

Have questions about NK cell leukemia, stem cell transplant or clinical trials? Call 1-800-955-4572 and our staff will be happy to talk with you.

Thank You for Your Support of LLS’s Mission

millss — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:49:35 GMT

Dear Friend,

In December we told you about a challenge grant that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) received to support an important research focus – to reduce the long-term and late effects of some of today’s intensive treatments. This work is so very important because by better understanding the biology of these effects, scientists can work to better manage these conditions or predict and prevent them. For example, by identifying biological risk factors for heart damage that some standard chemotherapy agents can cause, researchers may be able to develop new treatments to prevent such damage.

Your response to the challenge grant was enthusiastic and generous – the very sort of giving spirit that so many have demonstrated in responding to the recent earthquake devastation in Haiti.

Thank you for your incredible support! You are not just making a donation. You are making a difference for people touched by blood cancers.

Best of health,

John E. Walter
President & CEO

Find the support you need online

millss — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:15:46 GMT

Sometimes the most important thing is to know that you’re not alone. The overwhelming burden of receiving a diagnosis and undergoing treatment can be made easier when a patient can connect to other people who have similar feelings and experiences to share.

Carolyn is one patient who found this to be true. She had always been healthy and no one in her family had ever been diagnosed with cancer, so getting the news that she had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was a shock. Trying to educate herself about CLL was daunting because there was so much new information to take in all at once. Undergoing treatment was draining and isolating, too; Carolyn just wasn’t able to go out and connect with other people.

One day, Carolyn was checking her emails and saw an article about online support groups in an eNewsletter from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). She felt that this was exactly what she needed and as soon as she joined a group she found empathetic friends.

“Suddenly dealing with the diagnosis of cancer and chemotherapy, being isolated in my fears and physical fight, and dealing with a huge medical system was overwhelming. I could not go to public places, I did not feel like going out, but online, I could connect to a world of people who knew exactly how I felt and who cared so much. It strengthened me as well, in that I could be supportive of others.”

The online support group that Carolyn has been involved with is provided through a partnership between LLS and The Wellness Community. The groups are private, password-protected and are led by professionals. There is a weekly lymphoma group held on Mondays at 8:00 PM ET, and a weekly general blood cancer group that meets on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET. And there are other groups that deal with more general topics, including bereavement, caregiving and living with multiple diagnoses.

To learn more or to join for free, visit http://lls.thewellnesscommunity.org.

LLS-funded Researcher Publishes Breakthrough Article on AML

millss — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:14:57 GMT

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is always excited to learn about the new discoveries our funded researchers are making. Ari Melnick, M.D., of Cornell Weill Medical College, has been working on ways to test thousands of genes at the same time for a recently recognized type of abnormality called methylation. He has been able to apply these state-of-the-art tests towards understanding the causes and better predicting the treatment-sensitivity of leukemias and lymphomas. Dr. Melnick is the senior author of a report published this month in the prestigious scientific journal, Cancer Cell and highlighted in the research commentaries in January issues of the LLS e-newsletters. Here is the summary of that article, entitled “DNA Methylation Signatures Identify Biologically Distinct Subtypes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia”:

We hypothesized that DNA methylation distributes into specific patterns in cancer cells, which reflect critical biological differences. We therefore examined the methylation profiles of 344 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Clustering of these patients by methylation data segregated patients into 16 groups. Five of these groups defined new AML subtypes that shared no other known feature. In addition, DNA methylation profiles segregated patients with CEBPA aberrations from other subtypes of leukemia, defined four epigenetically distinct forms of AML with NPM1 mutations, and showed that established AML1-ETO, CBFb-MYH11, and PML-RARA leukemia entities are associated with specific methylation profiles. We report a 15-gene methylation classifier predictive of overall survival in an independent patient cohort (p < 0.001, adjusted for known covariates).

Quest Diagnostics’ sponsorship and fundraising work on behalf of LLS has enabled us to support Dr. Melnick’s breakthrough work. We appreciate the time and energy their employees have given to help make this important research happen.

Learn more about this and other research by reading the January 2010 Commentary, written by Deborah Banker, Vice President, Research Communications, and learn more about acute myelogenous leukemia (also known as acute myeloid leukemia).

Have questions about blood cancer or LLS-funded research? Talk to one of our information specialists at 1-800-955-4572.

Your donation dollars at work

millss — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:29:07 GMT

The following shares some highlights from last month’s commentary written by Deborah Banker, Vice President, Research Communications. She recently returned from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting where she heard presentations by researchers who are funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The information she brings us from ASH is a reminder that your donation dollars can and do go far in the fight against blood cancers. Start 2010 with a donation to LLS so that patients can have a brighter future.

I just got back from this year's meeting of the American Society of Hematology. As always, there was lots of research progress reported and researchers funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) were well-represented. It was an opportunity to learn more about the biology of various forms of lymphoma and about evolving treatments for patients with Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL).

LLS-funded Steven Bernstein, M.D., of the University of Rochester discussed the transformation of some cases of relatively indolent follicular lymphoma into aggressive cancers, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Burkitt lymphoma. It seems that transformation risk may be increased by treatments with high doses of alkylator or purine analog drugs. Rituxan® apparently does not affect the risk of transformation and importantly the Rituxan-containing combination therapy known as R-CHOP seems to be effective for many patients even after transformation.
In a subsequent session. LLS-funded Jonathan Friedberg, M.D., of University of Rochester was the senior author of a report regarding a Phase 3 clinical trial that compared three possible treatments for patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL). This was a multi-center clinical study that also involved LLS-funded Andrew Zelenetz, M.D., at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
LLS-funded Irene Ghobrial, M.D. of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute presented results of a Phase 2 trial testing one such novel drug for patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare blood cancer that has features in common with lymphoma and myeloma. She and her Dana Farber and Mayo Clinic colleagues tested an oral drug that inhibits the mTOR molecule which controls cell proliferation and survival and is involved in many cancers including lymphomas.

Read Dr. Banker's full December Commentary on www.LLS.org.

Tune into the Stupid Cancer Show on 12/28 at 9pm ET

millss — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:52:59 GMT

If you or someone you care about is a young adult who is dealing with Hodgkin lymphoma, you’ll want to listen to Monday’s Stupid Cancer Show, called “Who The Hell Is Hodgkin’s?”. This show will feature guests Ethan Zohn, winner of Survivor: Africa who is now undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma, and our own Hildy Dillon, Senior Vice President, Patient Services.

Show Name: Who The Hell Is Hodgkin’s?
Date: 12/28/2009
Time: 9:00 PM ET
Length: 1 hr 30 min
Call-in Number: 347.215.6845

For more information and to set a reminder, visit this show’s page on Blog Talk Radio.

This web-based program is produced by the Stupid Cancer Show of I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation (i[2]y).

Not able to join the call? Call us with your Hodgkin lymphoma or other blood cancer questions at 1.800.955.4572.

Your gift can go twice as far

millss — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:15:26 GMT

Dear Friend of LLS,

I write today with the good news that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has received a research challenge grant.

An anonymous friend of LLS will match $100,000 in donations made by December 31st to support an important research focus—to reduce the long-term and late effects of some intensive cancer treatments.

Cures for some blood cancer patients have increased dramatically in past decades. But treatments that save lives often come with a cost. Too many cancer survivors experience long-term and late effects from their treatments. Some of these effects have an impact on quality of life. Others can be life threatening.

Research for cures for all blood cancer patients must continue. And patients also need therapies that are less harmful but at least as effective as the best therapies we have today. This matching challenge will help move us in that direction.

Please take advantage of this challenge and double the impact of your gift by December 31st. Your donation of $25 will become $50; your gift of $50 will become $100. Whatever you give will go twice as far. Please take advantage of this challenge.

Thank you again for your valued support.

Best of health,

John E. Walter
President & CEO

Take our Stupid Cancer survey

millss — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:09:33 GMT

For young adults, life with and beyond cancer presents specific physical, emotional, social and financial burdens. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and I'm Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation (i[2]y) want to better serve the needs of young adult cancer survivors.

LLS and i[2]y need feedback from cancer survivors who are between the ages of 18 and 39 for our Stupid Cancer Survey. This is an ongoing research study to help young adults affected by cancer. The goal is to learn more about the ways that they distinguish themselves from young adults who have not been affected by cancer.

If you are a young adult cancer survivor please take the survey now at http://survey.i2y.com. You’ll help us better serve young adult cancer survivors and young adults who are still battling cancer.

Thank you in advance for your help!

The initial results of this report are available upon request.

BTW, if you take this survey, you have a 1 in 8 chance of receiving a $50 iTunes Gift Card!

A Story of Hope and Persistence

millss — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:29:11 GMT

John Haluck became part of the LLS family almost a decade ago. He is now a trustee of the Greater Sacramento Area chapter and is not only a survivor but is a huge supporter of LLS.

When I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2000, I was no stranger to leukemia, having lost a good friend to the disease. Still, going in for a routine physical and finding out I had an "incurable" form of cancer was a massive shock to both me and my family. I looked at my three kids and I wondered if I would be around to see any of them graduate from college or get married. It was the worst weekend of my life.

My doctor recommended a "watch and wait" approach, since my form of leukemia was chronic, not acute, and some people have lived twenty years with CLL.

However, my cancer progressed much faster than my hematologist could foresee. By 2004, he recommended that I start chemotherapy soon, as the cancerous lymphocytes were increasing in number and could cause a stroke. He told me that there was no hope for a cure and advised me against looking for a clinical trial.

By this time, I was volunteering with my local chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, chairing and helping organize the annual Light The Night Walk. I also learned about a doctor who has been funded by LLS and does leading edge research in CLL - Michael Keating, MD, at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. I contacted him and heard back immediately - he would see me as soon as I was ready.

The morning after the Light The Night Walk, I boarded a Southwest flight for Houston. After a battery of tests, I waited to see Dr. Keating. In walked this big, burly man (a rugby player, no less) who grabbed my hand and then gave me a big bear-hug. To my surprise, he said, "John, I think that we have a very promising treatment for you!"

I called my wife, who flew in, and I started a clinical trial the next day of a new targeted drug, Rituxan®, which was developed with the help of funding from LLS. The rest is history. After four days of therapy, my white cell count had dropped to normal! A week later, the lumpy cancerous lymphocytes had disappeared from my lymph nodes. It was happening just as Dr. Keating had described.

Now I've had 53 months in complete remission. I feel a debt of gratitude to Dr. Keating and LLS, whose funding helped make Rituxan a reality. I have my life, and am able to enjoy it. And I have hope!

-- John Haluck

You can also listen to a short audio clip of John sharing his support of LLS.

If you've been diagnosed with a blood cancer, LLS is here for you:
To speak to an information specialist, call (800) 955-4572, chat online at www.lls.org, or email infocenter@LLS.org.
Find peer support on the Blood Cancer Discussion Boards.
Support the fight against blood cancers with a tax-deductibe year-end gift to LLS.

Clinical Trials and Transportation Barriers

millss — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:56:11 GMT

The following post is from our Public Policy department.

Currently, only 3 to 5 percent of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials. The leading reason for the low participation is barriers that hinder access to clinical trials. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is pursuing several avenues to increase patient access to clinical trials so that blood cancer patients can have access to all of the treatment options available to combat their disease.

In February, patients were asked in this forum to share their personal stories about one of the potential barriers to enrolling in clinical trials: health insurance coverage. Specifically, we asked if, and how, insurance company denial of coverage for enrollment in a clinical trial might have influenced their decision whether to participate in a trial. Now, LLS is searching for personal anecdotes about how patients have been affected by other hurdles to patient participation in clinical trials: transportation and communication.

Some clinical trials are only conducted at one institution, or at locations that require travel on the part of the patient, making transportation to that location for treatment and follow-up care a major concern, and a barrier for participation, for a number of patients.

In New York, LLS is pushing legislation that would break down these barriers to clinical trials access. Bills introduced in Albany by Assembly member Dick Gottfried (A. 1805) and Sen. Tom Duane (S. 4492) would create a state grant program to cover costs associated with clinical trials education and transportation, and patient navigation to find out about available clinical trials. Organizations such as LLS would then apply for these funds to provide financial assistance to patients in need.

LLS would also like to address this issue nationally. To do this we need your help in gaining a better understanding of how many blood cancer patients are being affected by transportation and communication issues. How many more patients would be willing to enter a clinical trial if they simply knew they were being offered? How many know about a clinical trial that would help their disease, but cannot afford to travel to the center where it is being conducted? Would patients be able to participate in a trial if LLS gave financial assistance to help cover these transportation costs that can sometimes be crippling? Please share your experience and thoughts with us.

Patient Story: Christen’s little miracle of hope

millss — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:35:37 GMT

Christen Reilert was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) when she was just 27-years-old. She took some time out to answer our questions on what it meant for her to be diagnosed with cancer as a young adult, as well as the fertility issues she faced.

LLS: How did you find out that you had NHL?

Christen: I found out I had NHL when I started having trouble taking deep breaths. Every time I took a deep breath it hurt which prompted me to go to my doctor. Twice I was misdiagnosed with walking pneumonia, given antibiotics and sent on my way. Two months later the symptoms returned and I ended up going to the hospital where they did a chest x-ray and found a large mass in my chest. That was the 4th of July in 2002 when I was diagnosed with NHL.

LLS: That sounds frustrating. Can you describe how you handled the diagnosis, as well as how it affected your day to day life?

Christen: The news was a total shock, being 27-years-old and a two-year newlywed with my husband, Josh. I was devastated. After the shock, I decided I was going to do whatever it took to survive. At the time, I didn't want to know anything about the cancer, I just wanted to fight it. Every day I went in for my chemo treatments I had a smile on my face and I knew at that moment, I was a survivor. I went through six chemo treatments over an 18-week period and 18 days of radiation. I lost all of my hair on my body, got severe thrush*, became extremely fatigued and was out of work for seven months. Since that dreadful day of diagnosis, I look at every day as a gift. Every day I wake up, I thank God for letting me enjoy another day of life. There is nothing in life that be that bad. In my life, there are no bad hair days, no feeling sorry for myself, just living everyday as it comes.

LLS: Do you mind sharing if and how your diagnosis affected your plans to have children?

Christen: Just two months prior to my diagnosis, we had just started trying to have a family. I had always dreamed of becoming a mother and when I was told I had cancer, my dreams were shattered and put on hold. There was no definite answer if I'd ever be able to have children. I sought out professional advice from an infertility specialist in Manhattan. Josh and I traveled there by car and she told me I could freeze embryos but I'd have to wait until my next cycle when I ovulated again. Unfortunately my tumor was so aggressive I couldn't postpone chemotherapy and I was not able to freeze any embryos to preserve my fertility. Needless to say, I cried all the way home.

LLS: Was there anything you could try at that point?

Christen: My chances of becoming a mother were slim. I took a chance and the doctor put me on a birth control pill to suppress my period for the duration of chemo (which was 18 weeks as well as 18 days of radiation) in hopes the chemo would bypass my reproductive system. The chemo I endured was very aggressive and harsh, and basically prayer and hope was all that was going to ensure any sort of fertility.

I was very ecstatic when I found out I was pregnant in April of 2008. When I took that pregnancy test, I literally did a double take. All the prior tests were always negative and to get a positive result was just shocking. When the doctor confirmed my pregnancy with a blood test I didn't waste any time breaking the news to family and friends!

LLS: Congratulations!

Christen: Yes, on December 23rd, 2008, our miracle baby born. Our son, Jaden was born! My motto which I've been saying since I found out I was pregnant has been "CANCER SURVIVOR'S HAVE MIRACLES TOO". We are so blessed to have him. What more could a cancer survivor ask for?

LLS: How is your health now?

Christen: I am currently in remission and have been cancer free for the last seven years now.

LLS: We hear that you’re actively involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Christen: After I completed radiation in early 2003, I ended up calling LLS to become involved in fundraising because felt like I owed the world a big fat thanks! For everyone who helped me beat this disease, I felt like I had to give something back. So in 2003 I started doing the Light The Night Walk and formed my own team, Christy's "Cure"ators. I have been the team captain for the last six years and an honored patient hero for the last five years. Everyone who walks with Light The Night Walk has been following my story. Last year at Citibank Park I was speaking (as I do every year) and was able to announce my pregnancy. I unveiled my seven month pregnant belly in front of hundreds of people with a zip of my jacket and the crowd roared for me. It was so exhilarating. This year, I get to introduce my son Jaden to everyone at Citibank Park, I can't wait.

In addition to being a team captain and honored patient hero I also volunteer my time anywhere I can. I am also a First Connection Volunteer for those who are diagnosed with similar diagnosis and who are around my age - I am like a mentor to them.

* ”Some people may develop a white, shiny coating or white patches on their tongue, inside of the cheeks or on the floor of the mouth. This symptom may indicate a yeast infection, also called ‘thrush’ or ‘oral candidiasis.’” From the free booklet, Understanding Drug Therapy and Managing Side Effects.

If you’re a young adult who has been diagnosed with blood cancer, you can give our Information Resource Center a call at (800) 955-4572 and someone will be able to help you or point you in the right direction.

Free Telephone Education Programs for Patients and Caregivers

millss — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:29:04 GMT

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is proud to offer telephone education programs for blood cancer patients and their caregivers. These programs, which require free registration, are both informative and interactive for those dealing with specific types of blood cancer or certain treatment topics.

Free registration is now available for these upcoming October programs.

October 14, 2009 - Treating Uncommon Lymphomas: Dialogue with an Expert on T-Cell, Malt, and Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

October 29, 2009 – Managing Myeloma: An Expert’s Update

Check the National Education Programs page often to see what is available, or visit any of the archive pages to listen to past programs, download transcripts or to access highlights from many of the past programs (archive pages can be found in each disease education series section – for example, there is a link to the archived programs on the Myeloma Education Series page).

Need assistance? Call the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572 and someone will be able to answer your question or steer you in the right direction.