Dear Friends.

In addition to gifts of flowers and candy this Mother's Day, consider gifts of hope and health!

Eight years ago, Jane was diagnosed with lymphoma just three weeks after giving birth to her second son.  In short order, Jane and her husband were packing up their newborn and a three-year-old for the first of a series of trips to Houston for chemotherapy.

Within two years, Jane's routine moved from active treatment to active training for the Austin Half-Marathon through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training, a way for her to raise money to help accelerate finding cures for other patients.  " I value scientific research," Jane reports enthusiastically. " I know that a relapse would require new treatment."

LLS is partnering on a promising new treatment with a biotechnology company and we need your help.  We're supporting a late-phase clinical trial that could lead to approval of a new drug that might double survival for some blood cancer patients.

LLS looks to accelerate the trial by a full year, providing a life-saving difference to patients who have few other treatment options.  LLS has raised 70 percent of the funds needed and is seeking the remaining $1.5 million to hasten the completion of this trial.  Your donation can speed progress and provide hope to cancer patients like Jane.

Thank you for your generosity.

John E. Walter

President & CEO

This is a story of a woman's cancer journey and the appreciation she has for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

In February of 2010, I received the frightening news that I had Hodgkin's disease.  After a PET scan and two biopsies, I was hit with the additional news that I was positive for stage 2 Lymphoma.  I was 42 and scared to death.

When I went in for my first visit with oncologist Dr. Rafique of Tri County Hematology and Oncology in Ohio, I found out how expensive chemotherapy is and how health insurance doesn't cover it all.  Fortunately, my doctor directed me to LLS and they helped with more than 50% of my insurance co-pages.  This was a major relief and allowed me to concentrate on fighting the illness and getting better.

My 12 rounds of chemotherapy ended in the fall of 2010.  Unfortunately, I sustained lung damage from one of the chemotherapy agents and had to spend three weeks in the hospital recovering.  I had another PET scan in April of 2011 and was given the great news that I was in remission!

I am forever grateful for my wonderful doctor and the financial support I received from LLS.  I encourage everyone to help this great organization and other cancer patients to take advantage of the support they provide.

~ Cynthia Clark

Cynthia was so grateful for the help she received during treatment, she has designated LLS as a beneficiary in her retirement plan.  Cynthia has insured that the hope and support she felt from LLS during her treatment will carry-on for others.

On behalf of patients everywhere, thank you Cynthia.

Learn more about how you can designate LLS as a beneficiary.

Wishing you the best of health,

John E. Walter,

President & CEO

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Dear Friends,

As a passionate supporter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), I would like to share with you the story of this year's Girl of the Year for LLS's Man & Woman of the Year campaign in Miami.  I hope you will find it as inspirational as I did.

Kiarrah-Dashe' was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) on May 19, 2011 when she was just 4 years old.

KD was getting fevers and suffering from exhaustion, I knew something was wrong when she started taking naps and brought her to the hospital.  In the ER they found  nothing, so I followed up with her pediatrician.  She didn't see anything out of the ordinary but ran blood tests anyway.  Later that night her pediatrician called and told me to take her directly to the ER.  When I got to the hospital more tests were run and after hours of waiting it was finally confirmed.  KD had leukemia. 

While the worst part about the entire ordeal was finding out, the four week hospital stay and weekly doctor visits was no "walk in the park"  However, it's a small price to pay when you can hold your child every day.  The doctors and nurses at Holtz Children's Hospital are the best.  They made the whole experience bearable by treating KD like a normal kid.  As KD says, "she just has bugs in her blood." 

KD was back to herself in just 3 weeks, talking a mile a minute and acting like she had ants in her pants.  Throughout this entire life-changing event we kept telling ourselves that it could have been worse. She is an amazing strong little girl that has taught us all to always remain positive.

Tyrashiana, KD's Mom

Many of you have your own stories or have been moved to support LLS by someone like KD. One of LLS's oldest fundraising programs is our neighbor to neighbor campaign.  People share their stories with friends and neighbors and ask them to support the cause.

If you'd like to participate in the neighbor to neighbor campaign this year, it would be greatly appreciated.  Nothing is more powerful than a friend asking a friend to support the cause that is dear to them.  Please fill out this form and a neighborhood campaign kit will be mailed to you. 

Wishing you the best of health,

John E. Walter

President & CEO, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Dear Friend,

We asked our supporters to share their reason for giving to LLS. This was Melissa's:

"So no one has to hear the words 'you have leukemia.' I am a 2 year Lymphoblastic Leukemia survivor!"

With the generous support of people like you, LLS makes sure all blood cancer patients have access to the most up-to-date information on treatments, clinical trials, and services that meet their unique needs from diagnosis and throughout their cancer journey.  And blood cancer can wreak havoc on family finances. Some patients have difficulty paying for transportation to their treatment center.  LLS patient assistance can help.

While we help patients diagnosed each day, LLS is also accelerating the development of new drugs and therapies.  LLS is funding impactful research, from discoveries to new treatment approvals that are helping blood cancer patients live better, longer lives.  And many blood cancer advances are cross-cutting, also helping patients with solid tumors and other serious illnesses.

It's a critical time for blood cancer research and your help is crucial in bringing us closer to our vision - 'A world without blood cancers.'  The 12 reasons to support LLS in 2012, will illustrate why we think LLS is worthy of your consideration.

Melissa has her reason for supporting LLS. What's yours? Please donate today and share with us your reasons for giving.

Thank you for your generosity and Happy Holidays!

John E. Walter

President & CEO, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

www.lls.org

Dear Friend,

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  In our home, it is a time of great company, abundant food and reflection, for we have much to give thanks for.

I want to thank you for the support you've provided The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) this past year.  You made it possible for LLS to provide supportive services, advocate for life-saving treatments and fund the most promising blood cancer research anywhere.  Our investments in blood cancer research, from basic molecular studies, to translational research that moves promising work from the "bench to bedside" and collaborative projects that encourage work among researchers, are moving us toward our vision: a world without blood cancers. 

We are grateful for your past contributions and welcome your support now more than ever. Why now? We have started a list -- 12 reasons for you to support LLS in 2012.  But this is just a start. Please donate today and share your reasons to give with the LLS community. 

Whether you are passionate about developing more, less toxic treatments that improve the quality of life for patients, or providing financial assistance that helps ease the burden during these tough economic times, your support will give help and hope to patients and their families.

Thank you for your generosity,

John E. Walter

President & CEO, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Dear Friends,

The Executive Director from our Mid-America chapter, Janna LaCock, recently shared a photo with me that perfectly illustrates the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words."  High school senior, Katie Gerstner was recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).  While undergoing treatment, she was crowned 2011 Homecoming Queen at Blue Springs South High School, a title she accepts proudly.

As a father and step-dad of five teenagers, I know what a roller-coaster of emotions those years are all too well!  When I look at this picture, I see an incredibly courageous young woman, fighting cancer with a positive attitude and the incredible support of her family and friends.

At The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), we too are a caring community of staff, donors and volunteers, supporting blood cancer patients and their families.  Whether they are running, cycling or swimming with LLS's Team In Training, collecting spare change through our School & Youth programs, raising money alongside colleagues through the Light The Night Walk, or challenging themselves in the Man & Woman of the Year campaign, the LLS community is helping save lives.

Lives like Katie's.  Just last week Katie learned she is in remission! She turns 18 in a couple of days.  We wish you a very happy birthday Katie and many, many more.

All the best,

John E.Walter

President & CEO, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

World Lymphoma Awareness Day (WLAD) is held on September 15 every year and is a day dedicated to raising awareness of lymphomas, an increasingly common form of cancer.  It is a global initiative hosted by the Lymphoma Coalition, a non-profit network organisation of 50 lymphoma patient organisations from 37 countries around the world, including The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Since its launch in 2004, WLAD has made its mark internationally.  The global campaign continues to provide a platform for doctors, nurses, patient support organisations, patients and their families to share vital knowledge about lymphoma, its signs and symptoms, and how it affects the lives of thousands of people around the world.

Making A Difference on World Lymphoma Awareness Day

• Sign the Petition to encourage governments to fund research the world over.
• Download the Lymphoma 101 App to support research efforts

The Lymphoma 101 App is available for download FREE on iPhone, Android or BlackBerry mobile phone applications. Click on the app store icon on your home screen.  Type the word lymphoma 101, or any of the 9 other languages into the search function.  Click install or download.

(Note:  if it does not show up, try again the next day as each company will take a certain amount of time to upload the application into their store.)

For More About Lymphoma Information and Support

See these www.lls.org resources:

• The Lymphoma section of www.lls.org
• The LLS Information Resource Center
  
• The Blood Cancer Discussion Boards - Living With Forum
• The LLS Patient Education Program: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - Understanding Your Treatment Options
  
• LLS Support Groups