Olivia Olmstead, Freshman
September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time to focus on blood cancer and a time for the supporters of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (also referred to as LLS) to raise awareness for blood cancer. Everyday they fight to find cures for blood cancers and help every patient get the care they need to survive and be happy. They believe every person deserves to be cared for and treated for. The LLS raises awareness both locally and nationally for the efforts being made to fight blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. LLS has invested over $1.2 billion in cancer research with mind blowing results.
LLS has reached nearly 7,400 patients and caregivers, through their education and outreach program. This program was designed to improve cancer care throughout Black communities (in 2020). LLS has also launched 10 Employee Research Groups with 550 employees, more than half of LLS staff, planning to participate in one or more groups. They have spread awareness and understanding through book clubs, town halls, regional roundtables and a 21 day active journey.
You might be wondering why is blood cancer so important? Or what is blood cancer? Blood cancer is cancer in blood-forming tissues that affects how well your body can fight infections. Blood cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States! Most people don’t actually know how much blood cancer can impact a person's life. Even after being successfully treated for blood cancer there is a chance the treatment can still affect a person for months or even years after it is over. Want to know something even crazier? Every three minutes someone in the United States is diagnosed with blood cancer.
Despite how hard doctors try to help patients fight blood cancer, over one-third of people diagnosed with blood cancer don’t survive over five years. Approximately every five minutes someone dies from blood cancer. Blood cancer treatments are being researched everyday and are being designed to attack cancer from every angle.
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