A second birthday card. Not something anyone really thinks about too much I suppose. I, on the other hand, used to stare at them. I would walk down the card aisle at Target and just stare at them. I had to buy one for my second cousin once. I cried all the way through the checkout line. I guess my brain never let me believe we would get there; my heart told me otherwise.

I guess we should all listen to our hearts more. Eevie has reached "the big two" and we feel dumbfounded, blissful, and very humbled. I thought we were lucky when we reached one (so lucky in fact that after that milestone, I found myself engaging in corny superstitious rituals to generate more luck). It certainly wasn't all luck that brought us to this day. Eevie has irrefutably lived up to the meaning of her name, "life warrior." She tends to do everything opposite of what the doctors say. They said she would not make it to two, she did. They said that the high dose chemotherapy would likely have major effects on her organs, it didn't.

A Rough Climb

Looking back at the past two years is like looking down from Mt. Everest. It has been a rough, cold climb to the top and we still have to make it back down the mountain. Doctors said maintenance therapy would be great, it wasn't.

Eevie has had an extremely rough time on maintenance therapy. She had a rare reaction to the low-dose chemotherapy which caused extensive hair loss, major gastrointestinal issues, and a serious skin rash. In August, Eevie began dropping weight rapidly; she lost about three pounds, plummeting to 15 pounds. Her rash began causing her pain and great discomfort. As it progressed, it caused swelling in her joints and her skin to break open around face, fingers, wrists, toes, and ankles. We saw about 20 different doctors locally and in throughout the state for the first month and a half.

As her condition continued to worsen, we admitted Eevie to one of our local hospitals to begin inpatient treatment in an attempt to address her weight loss, treat her rash, and get one or as many diagnoses as possible. However, after over a week inpatient and no diagnoses or improvement, our team recommended transferring to a specialty hospital. We flew across the country to a top children's hospital on the East coast. We've been inpatient now for over two weeks and are still waiting on answers. Eevie is puzzling doctors everywhere. Doctors are now describing her constellation of symptoms as "the mystery of Eevie."

A Fierce Little Heart

Despite the secondary complications of Eevie's treatment, she continues to be her fiery, quirky self. Though she has difficulty standing due to the rash on her feet, she still tries her best to dance. We often catch her with her arms up in the air bobbing up and down to whatever tune is on. Currently, her favorite artists include Bob Marley, Iggy Azalea, and Elmo. The "chemo mouth" has finally worn off in a big way. Eevie constantly wants to taste food. Though she doesn't swallow yet, she enjoys sucking on Doritos, Kit-Kats, French fries dipped in spicy mustard, and doughnuts! Last night she had Mommie, Daddy, Gammy, and herself covered from head to toe in sweet and sour sauce. Though the road to recovery from two years of continuous chemotherapy is tough, we believe Eevie is tougher.

As we approach this milestone, similar to the characters in It’s a Wonderful Life and Scrooge, we find ourselves a changed family. Looking at the world through new glasses (at least better prescriptions), hoping to learn with open hearts and minds. The little things have become the big things. Things that typically went unnoticed have become the cornerstones of our joy. We have learned to try to take life much less seriously, which paradoxically is making my life seem more real, more serious than ever. We have different views of the meaning of happiness and on the meaning of pain.

Though we cannot say what the future holds, thanks to advances in pediatric cancer treatment and one fierce, little heart, we are thrilled to begin a new, hopefully brighter chapter proudly alongside our Life Warrior. Eevie is truly a tenacious little girl and the hope she spreads is contagious. We are over-the-moon and very, very proud.

The family plans to make a special trip to Disney World to celebrate.

Read past blogs about Eevie.

LLS teamed up with Fitbit for the second time this year to help Moms In Training participants stay motivated while getting in shape for a local run or walk. Fitbit’s wearable devices measure all-day activities like steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. The devices also measure sleep, use automatic heart rate to gauge work out intensity, and chart workouts in a monthly exercise calendar.

Rachel Spurrier, a head coach in Brooklyn, New York, is an experienced runner who, until recently, never used a tracking device. She finds the Fitbit pretty addictive, even when she’s not training because it tracks her steps when she’s doing errands, going to meetings, etc. During a recent coaching session, the moms were able to track their heart rates during difficult hill repetitions. One woman was feeling particularly nervous, but picking up the pace each time – and having the data to prove it – ultimately helped her finish with a smile on her face.

“This mom will probably feel even more motivated about her fundraising efforts this week, she’ll probably have more energy to devote to her kids, and she also realized that by working a little harder, she feels so much better about herself and her outlook on her day,” Spurrier said.

Lois Adelman has been an avid Fitbit user for the past two years. Last year, she created a group for fellow trainers who called themselves “Fitbit Friends” to keep each other on track even when they weren’t training together. This year, they took their training up a notch and formed a group of “Fitbit Fighters” to track their daily goals and keep each other motivated.

As a second year Moms In Training participant, Bianca Jonas has new fitness goals for herself and her team for this year’s run. She even checks it when she’s walking and now knows her heart rate when she’s resting as well as when she’s exercising. She also gets daily emails telling her she reached her goal.

“Since wearing my Fitbit I have been excited to reach my 10,000 steps goal every single day! This is a reminder and a real motivation, especially when the little green light starts blinking, and I feel the fitbit vibrating.”

Moms In Training is a program geared towards moms with kids of all ages looking to get in shape and save lives along the way. The flexible 8-10 week training is designed with the needs of busy mothers in mind. Once the training is complete, moms can compete in a three- to six-mile walk or run that raises funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, giving them the chance to showcase their hard work to their friends, family and community.

Learn more about how to get involved.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society congratulates long-time supporter Jorge Eduardo Cortes, M.D., for completing the 2015 New York City Marathon in 3:48:35 and raising $15,760 (so far) to benefit blood cancer research.

After 20 years of involvement with LLS, Dr. Cortes finally decided to keep a promise to himself and set a goal to raise $20,000 through Team In Training by taking part in the New York City Marathon. Although he jokes about running marathons for that free bottle of water and a banana (an apple in NYC, of course) finishers receive, his real motivation comes in raising funds for programs that reach patients such as the Therapy Acceleration Program, which is helping develop new therapies, and webcasts that provide valuable up-to-date information. (Listen to Cortes' recent LLS webcast on managing chronic myeloid leukemia)

“The support for research LLS does is incredibly important, particularly now with federal grant money being scarcer,” said Cortes, professor and deputy chair, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has seen first-hand how money raised for research and educational programs has been instrumental in the fight against blood cancers.

Cortes led the development of three drugs that were eventually FDA approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in 2012 and has been honored several times by LLS for his research and educational contributions – receiving the Service to Mankind Award in 2007, the Dr. John J. Kenny Award in 2006, and the Scholar in Clinical Research award in 2000.

He has been a member of the advisory board for the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter in Houston, Texas since 2005. He previously served two terms on the National Board of Directors and was a member of the Medical & Science Committee, Patient Services Committee and TAP Committee.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society expresses its condolences to the family and friends of former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson who lost his battle with lymphoma Sunday.

Thompson, a lawyer and former Watergate investigator who also went on to launch an acting career, was well known for his tough prosecutor role on NBC’s “Law & Order” as well as appearances in more than 20 movies, including “The Hunt for Red October” and “In the Line of Fire.” He returned to Tennessee to win his first public office in 1994, filling out the term of Vice President Al Gore, and serving another six-year term.

Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2004, Thompson went on to show how much is still possible after a diagnosis of blood cancer. He revealed his diagnosis while planning a run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, saying it wasn’t expected to pose any difficulties. He continued his work on “Law & Order,” briefly hosted a radio talk show and recently bought a house to return to Tennessee.

His dedication to public service and impact on the arts will be long remembered.

Chris and his son Alex in the hospital

Three (now seemingly very long) years ago on Columbus Day weekend of 2012, our family’s lives changed forever. Just a week after the 4th birthday of my son, Alex, he became extremely lethargic with severe hip pain and a fever that wouldn't subside.

At the time, we had no reason to think he was battling anything other than the flu, a virus or, at worst, a bone infection. But, going on a mother’s instinct that, in hindsight, was spot on, my wife, Lynn, asked me to take him to the emergency room at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Over the course of the next 24 hours, a battery of tests ensued that culminated in our living a parent’s worst nightmare – we were told our child had cancer.

Having no previous experience with the disease or any concrete understanding as to its treatment, a sense of shock and panic washed over us upon first hearing the diagnosis. Lynn’s legs gave out requiring me to catch her before she hit the floor and I blurted out: “What does this mean … is this a death sentence?

Once the news settled in, numerous questions raced through my mind: Is this form of leukemia curable? What is the success rate? What are the treatment options? What would it entail? How long would the treatment go on? What are the known short and long-term side effects of the treatment? How would this affect our daughters, Gianna (then 9) and Olivia (then 6)? Is the treatment covered by insurance?

Fortunately, for our family, all of our questions were answered through a combination of the incredible oncologists at Hasbro and information on The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) website. Due to the research supported by the LLS and organizations like it, Alex’s specific diagnosis of standard-risk pre B-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) had been transformed over the course of the last 30 years from the death sentence I feared it to be to anything but. While this provided us with the assurances we needed to move forward positively, the hard part - getting through the two and one-half year treatment protocol - still lay ahead.

How Will We Get Through This?

Early on, we were provided with a three-page handout entitled “Routine Treatment of ALL” that set out each of the phases of treatment, whether it was inpatient or outpatient, the drugs he would be administered, how and when the drugs would be administered and each drug’s potential short and long-term side effects. The immediate thought when you receive this paperwork is “How are we going to get through this?”

Being a native New Englander, my first thought was to employ a “Belichickian” philosophy of “One Phase at a Time.” I felt that it would focus me on getting my little guy and the rest of the family through each phase without the distraction of worrying what was coming down the pike. Mentally for me, my little boy and our family were in the playoffs and we needed a win at each phase to advance. So, to me, it made no sense to worry about the next round until we got through the one we were in.

After the initial shock of the diagnosis wears off and you’ve commenced treatment, feelings of anger and fear can set in … if you let them. After all, it is only natural for a parent to feel angry that this happened to their child/family and fearful that he or she did something (or exposed the child to something) to cause this.

Why Us?

Early on, I was able to meet with a father of child who went through the exact treatment protocol as Alex two years earlier. He brought over a family photo album that traversed the course of his son’s treatment - pictures of the family at the beach, at Disney, his son playing soccer, etc. At that point, I knew that our family was going to get through this, but that it was going to take all of the positive energy each of us could muster. I felt that I had to view those negative feelings of anger and fear as wasted energy and refuse them to enter my conscious thought. The questions of “Why him?”; “Why our family?”; “Was it something we did?” were supplanted by affirmations of “Alex is a Super-hero!”; “Gig and Liv are Super-sibs,” “Lynn’s an amazing “Mom-cologist”!

Being an Advocate

Lynn definitely earned the moniker Mom-cologist. She graciously balanced the role of active participant in Alex’s treatment with acts of kindness, respect and deference to the professionals working to cure Alex. Despite being thrust into the cancer world without a background in medicine, Lynn quickly learned the importance of being his advocate. She knew the ins and outs of all of the medications being administered in each and every phase of treatment, whether we were inpatient, at the Tomorrow Fund clinic or at home. She kept diligent records and was always by our little guy’s side for blood or chemotherapy infusions. Looking back, Lynn’s approach to working with Alex’s oncologists, nurses and other members of the Hasbro team most definitely made a turbulent time in our lives a lot smoother ride.

Today, I am happy to report that Alex and our family are successfully through this and all of us have come out on the other end much stronger and better-equipped to see the silver linings in life. As a family, we know that we are fortunate and are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported blood cancer research over the years. Now that it’s over, it seems like everything happened so long ago.

Alex just celebrated his 7th birthday as a happy, fully-functioning and well-adjusted first grader. When we asked him at his birthday dinner how he felt about having beat cancer, he said it in a single word: ”Proud.” With tear-filled eyes, Lynn and I looked back at him and said: “We’re really proud of you too, buddy.”

In remission

Back to playing one of his favorite sports

The whole family at last year's LLS's Leukemia Cup Regatta celebration where Alex was an honored skipper

David Weinstock has focused his entire career around discovering new approaches to treating patients with leukemia and lymphoma – and credits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) with giving him several boosts along the way.

An associate professor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Weinstock received a grant in 2002 through LLS’s Career Development Program designed to help young scientists. That early work explored abnormal cell growth and chromosome translocations that can progress to blood cancer. Then last year he received a scholar award to study how gene mutations promote the growth of follicular lymphoma.

“That support has played a significant role in my career development,” Weinstock said. “LLS funding gives researchers the flexibility to expand their research into innovative areas for which there might otherwise be limited financial resources.”

He’s since moved on to lead a prestigious $5 million Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) grant, LLS’s most ambitious funding program. The five-year project will enable he and his colleagues from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital to test different targeted approaches for treating patients with T-cell lymphomas, for which there are currently very few good options.

Recently, Weinstock took some time to answer a few questions about his current research.

In the simplest of terms, what type of research do you do?

I study cancers of blood cells called leukemias and lymphomas. I figure out why some people get these cancers and not others and then I develop new treatments that can help people with these cancers. I do this by working with patients, other doctors and talented scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School who are all committed to curing these diseases.

What is the significance of this latest SCOR-funded project and how will it be carried out?

Recent studies have shown that certain targeted drugs can shrink some T-cell lymphomas. This created a unique opportunity to build new approaches for treating people with T-cell lymphomas by understanding why some people respond to the targeted drugs and others don’t. To do this, we organized a team of physicians and scientists at centers in New York and Boston, along with colleagues at other centers across the US, to link scientific discovery in the laboratory with new clinical trials in patients.

There currently aren’t too many options for patients with T-cell lymphomas. What approach are you taking to find better treatments?

Currently, the standard treatment for someone who develops the most common types of T-cell lymphoma is a chemotherapy regimen that works well in people with B-cell lymphomas but it doesn’t work very well for T-cell lymphomas. We’re using a different approach, where we start with a targeted drug, rather than chemotherapy, and then we try to understand why certain people have a good response, a bad response, or become resistant to the drug. Those discoveries will then lead to a second set of clinical trials that combine the targeted drug with one or more other drugs to specifically block the mechanisms that cause resistance. This kind of discovery requires a dedicated team of scientists and clinicians who can work closely to select the right drugs, to get samples from tumors and to develop new approaches for these deadly diseases.

How do you hope this research will change the outlook or treatment for people with lymphoma 10 or 20 years from now?

Ten years from now, we will be treating every patient with the right drug or drug combination for their T-cell lymphoma, rather than simply a combination of chemotherapy that might work in some people. Twenty years from now, we will have built on these discoveries and we’ll be curing essentially everyone with these diseases.

You recently had some success with a new approach to treating B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). What is the status of that research?

Yes, we did. In fact, we showed that a new type of targeted drug, called a type 2 JAK2 inhibitor, is amazingly effective in a particular subset of B-cell ALLs, either when the cells are grown in a Petri dish or when we inject them into mice and treat the mice with the drug. The next step is to try type 2 JAK2 inhibitors in children and adults with this type of B-cell ALL. I can’t wait to see the results.

Listen to Weinstock talk about his work in a video.

Weinstock has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. He has also performed field work with refugees in the Republic of Georgia and after Hurricane Katrina and now directs a program establishing translational research capacity for patients with blood cancers in Malawi. In 2009, he became the Medical Advisor for the Radiation Injury Treatment Network, a consortium of academic medical centers across the US focused on the management of irradiated casualties.

Read Q&A's with other LLS-funded researchers here.

Hockey fans across the country will show their love for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society over the next month as they creatively raise funds for blood cancer research through the 17th annual Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) campaign.

LLS has again been selected as a charitable partner for HFC Awareness Month, which runs from Oct. 19 to Nov. 13. Many fans will be supporting LLS through exciting events organized by their local hockey teams - all to help fight cancer. LLS will use its donations to invest in research to advance therapies and save lives, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies.

The joint initiative by the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) brings together players, teams, fans and corporate partners to raise money through activities such as awareness nights, tournaments, raffles, merchandise auctions, and fundraising walks.

As a partner charity, LLS will benefit from the various fundraising activities. Here are just a few upcoming events involving LLS:

• Minnesota Wild Game, Oct 22: Tomorrow’s game will be designated as “LLS Night.” LLS will be tabling on the concourse throughout the evening, and the Wild donated a suite to LLS for the game. LLS will also have a table at the Wild’s “Hockey Fights Cancer” game on Oct 27.

• St Louis Blues Game, Oct. 24: Players will be walking the blue carpet with a child battling or who battled cancer. Additionally, footage of each child will be posted on the “I Fight For” board. There will also be pre-game raffle stands and other exciting fundraising events.

• Florida Panthers Game, Oct 27: A portion of the proceeds from the Panthers game on October 27 will go directly to LLS.

• Power Players, Oct 19-Nov 13: LLS has teamed up with Minnesota Hockey to promote awareness with the youth hockey community. Posters featuring four local student survivors will be distributed to all teams fundraising for LLS.

How you can get involved:

• Check with your local LLS chapter to find out if there’s an event going on near you, and show your support.

Here are 14 tips from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society that should help make the experience a little less uncomfortable:

• Get some “chemowear.” Treat yourself to something that is comfortable and makes you feel good about yourself. You want to be able to just reach in your closet and grab something soft and loose-fitting. No thinking required.
• Pack a ready-to-go travel bag and keep it near the door. Be sure to include books and magazines; a laptop or e-reader; some ginger chews and ginger pills (for nausea); lip balm and lotion (the air in treatment centers can get very dry); cozy socks; a bottle of water; and some healthy snacks. And don’t forget a fleece blanket! It can get cold in those chemo rooms. Change up the items as needed.
• Prepare to stay awhile. Chemo sessions can take several hours. Plan out something to do. Set up a playlist for your iPhone, get a new book series, or grab a pillow for a nap.
• Make sure you have good food to come home to. Gingersnaps, ginger ale, crackers, bananas, peanut butter, popsicles and angel food cake are easy to digest. Whipping up a smoothie can be a good idea also.
• Drink plenty of fluids each day—about 8 cups of water or juice. Fill up a pitcher with the goal for that day to drink the entire pitcher. Especially stock up the day before and the day after treatment.
• Prepare for constipation and/or diarrhea. Your doctor can prescribe medications for both to keep on hand.
• Get help for nausea. If you start to feel sick, tell your oncology nurse. Chewing on crystallized ginger, or sipping on peppermint or ginger tea can help discourage nausea, and medications can be prescribed.
• Avoid mouth sores, which can be caused by chemotherapy. Avoid spicy and hot foods, drink plenty of fluids and brushing your teeth several times a day. Ask your doctor about a medicated mouthwash.
• Maintain good nutrition. Consider six small meals instead of three “big ones.” Eat a half sandwich for lunch and the other half two hours later. Supplements have excellent nutrients. But if you drink one can, you have satisfied your appetite. Always eat first, then try half-can supplements after the meal. The best nutrition is eaten. Supplements are meant for those who can’t eat!
• Fight fatigue, which can be common. Keep your body on a schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Plan time to rest. You may feel better when you rest or take a short nap during the day. Many people say that it helps to rest for just 10 to 15 minutes rather than nap for a long time. Keeping naps short will help you sleep better at night.
• Reach out to loved ones with specific requests. You are not alone and many people want to help but don’t know what to do. Tell them what you need, such as help with laundry, taking out the garbage or a ride to the store.
• Listen to your body. Be sensitive to what you feel and make changes accordingly. If you feel tired, rest. If you have a spurt of energy, get out, take a short walk. Remember moderation is the key.
• Try to be normal. Easier said than done. But, surviving the cancer journey is a whirlwind. Rely on your usual routine whenever possible. It can help you stay grounded and secure.

If all else fails, focus on how you’re ridding your body of disease. That’s a thought that should make you feel better!

Tips courtesy of LLS’s Information Resource Center and Lynn Rich, MS, NP, Lymphoma Program, James P Wilmot Cancer Center.

LLS information specialists are always available to answer your questions. Call (800) 955-4572.

If you've learned something that would be helpful to others, please share in the comments below.

To read other myeloma blog posts, click here.

By Susan Benjamin, Los Alamos, NM

An unruly visitor intruded into my life four years ago. Double-M (i.e. multiple myeloma) invaded to say, "It's time." With more than 30 years of classroom teaching, I knew what I must do after I emerged from feeling devastated and numb. I needed to form a team to help me control her: doctors, family and support organizations. I could not ignore Double-M. She would not go away. I needed to befriend her.

My brilliant family practice doctor suspected myeloma and my oncologist told me Double-M invaded my marrow. I then saw a specialist who has tamed many cousins of Double-M. Family gathered. I learned about Double-M from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), the Myeloma Beacon and,most importantly, other patients visited by Double-M. Induction therapy worked well and Double-M acquiesced a bit, but would never go away. She was treatable but not curable.

We reluctantly became friends. Double-M taught me that quality of life really, really matters, side effects can be managed, and support teams ease the burden. Motivated by Double-M, I used visualization recordings created uniquely for me, often dozing as the tapes spoke to my subconscious. Anxiety subsided, healing emerged. I felt encouraged. My teacher genes revved up. Time to reach out to others. What has become most valuable in my myeloma journey has been the connections that I have made with other patients and caregivers.

I joined LLS’s First Connection Program , as I reached out to other patients. With IMF support, I founded the Land of Enchantment Myeloma Support Group . So many wonderful people also striving to tame Double-M. We unite in our quest for knowledge. We share in a safe environment as we gather monthly, often having speakers at our meetings. Knowledge and sharing are powerful tools. Friendships blossom.

Lifelong learning was my next step on this journey. As a learner myself, Double- M and I attended patient/family seminars, and became involved in a few online resources. LLS has an online chat meeting on Tuesdays, along with interactive discussion boards and blogs, IMF has Smart Patients and the Myeloma Beacon has blogs and interactive discussions. Accessing information is relatively easy in our technical world, but processing all the information is a more difficult and time consuming task. I have become savvy in such things as lab values and myeloma therapy options. I only have a cursory understanding of clinical trials. I’m thrilled that the landscape of myeloma is rapidly changing and growing.

My disease is in complete remission as I continue with maintenance therapy. The uninvited, unruly visitor is always with me now. She visits her relatives at the monthly support group meetings, patient/family conferences and blogs. Like most cancers, multiple myeloma causes enormous heartache. Yet befriending her offers me unexpected blessings. I befriend other inspiring and compassionate patients and caregivers visited by this unpleasant yet treatable cancer. Another blessing is my stimulating interactions with brilliant doctors and researchers. What has become most clear to me as I move through this journey is to savor the present and to enthusiastically embrace life.

Support for this blog provided by

Sarah Cannon provides physician-led, patient-centric care close to home for hundreds of thousands of patients. The Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network is one of the leading providers of blood cancer care in the world, performing more than 900 blood and marrow transplants each year. Over the last two years, the Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network has partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a Leading Light partner.

Dr. Fred LeMaistre, senior vice president of Sarah Cannon Market Operations and physician in chief of blood cancers at Sarah Cannon, provides insight into his experience with LLS and the importance of blood cancer research.

What is your role at Sarah Cannon?
As physician in chief of blood cancers at Sarah Cannon, I have the privilege of working with our Blood Cancer Network physicians, hospital leadership and their teams to develop programs and facilities that provide patients with the highest quality care. This extends across the continuum of blood cancer care, from discovery through recovery. As senior vice president of Market Operations, I work closely with our facilities across the Sarah Cannon Network to implement best practices across tumor sites and build centers of excellence for the patients we serve across the U.S. and UK.

Why did Sarah Cannon become involved with LLS?
Cancer research is the cornerstone of care. Today’s clinical trials ultimately become tomorrow’s latest treatment options. With LLS, we share the vision that “Someday is today.” Providing more than a billion dollars to support investigators in improving therapies for blood cancer, LLS understands the importance of research for current and future patients. The organization promotes access for patients to centers whose teams specialize in their cancer and also provides support by connecting them with other patients on the same cancer journey. We value LLS’ active role in ensuring that employers and payors understand the importance of adequate coverage and access to centers of excellence for patients.

The Light The Night celebration is particularly reflective of the values we share with LLS. It is an event designed to reinforce a culture of teamwork in the fight against blood cancer, while celebrating survivors and honoring patients who have had blood cancer.

Why is supporting organizations like LLS important?
The fight against blood cancer cannot be fought alone. It takes teams of researchers, clinicians, nurses, caregivers, social workers, technicians and administrators working together to improve care and outcomes for patients. By sharing knowledge, we can provide better care, faster. At Sarah Cannon, we strive to advance science and transform care, while providing access to quality treatments for patients closer to where they live. LLS is an important part of that team. They support and facilitate the collaboration required to achieve rapid advances in care.

What are the latest advancements in blood cancer research?
The very exciting answer to this question is that there are too many to list. We now have a better understanding of the role that the immune system has in the body, and we are able to develop promising new immunotherapies which help the body more effectively identify and fight cancer. This includes blood and marrow transplantation, but also cellular therapies like CAR T-cells and check point inhibitors that block the ability of cancer cells to hide from the immune system. A second category of blood cancer advancements focuses on targeted therapies, which pinpoint mutations at the molecular level. By identifying specific genes that are responsible for the cancer’s development and growth, we can develop and select treatments that eradicate these specific cells. Finally, traditional chemotherapy has seen great advancements. With new approaches to selecting patients, we have seen more effective chemotherapy treatments with fewer side effects.

What inspired you to enter blood cancer research and treatment?
When I was an intern in internal medicine in 1979, I had the privilege of caring for a patient who was a minister and had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). At the time, he did not have access to the targeted treatment options we have today and I spent many nights on call at his bedside during his cancer battle. More than just learning about his condition, I learned about the impact his disease had on his goals, his congregation and his family. It impacted my perspective on care and inspired me to advance the fight against blood cancer. Over the last three decades, I have been fortunate enough to have seen knowledge expand and treatments improve for these patients.

What is the most important thing you have learned from patients?
My patients are heroes. All of them have faced adversity with uncommon grace, courage and strength. They provide both passion and purpose for me to achieve better outcomes for patients with blood cancer.

The Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network is partnering with LLS in 2015 as a “Leading Light” sponsor for the Light The Night Walk and for the renewed opportunity to give back to the community by raising awareness about blood cancer, its incidence and the significant research that is sponsored by LLS.