EFTA00603106.pdf

LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA SOCIETY someday iq LLS's impact Who We Are The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) exists to find cures and ensure access to treatments for all blood cancer patients. LLS is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancers. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. What We Do Invest in blood cancer research: LLS has invested more than $1 billion in blood cancer research, approximately $67.2 million in fiscal year 2015 alone. Early research funded by LLS played a role in advances such as the discovery and development of chemotherapy and bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. More recent research has resulted in new, targeted oral therapies and immunotherapies. From 2000 through 2015, more than 40 percent of new anti-cancer drugs were FDA approved for blood cancer patients -- more first-ever approvals than for any other group of cancers -- and many of these were advanced with funding from LLS. Some therapies are even helping patients with other cancers and other serious, nonmalignant diseases. For example, rituximab is now also FDA-approved for use in patients with some autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. LLS supports the world's best and brightest academic researchers to address these urgent, unmet needs. We provide funding across the continuum from basic and translational research through clinical trials, from bench to bedside. Recognizing that therapies were not getting to patients fast enough, we created the Therapy Acceleration Program ®, supporting applied research and forging collaborations with biotechnology companies to help bridge the gap between academic discovery and successful drug development. We are a catalyst for collaboration and are leaders in venture philanthropy in oncology. Provide critical information and support for patients and their families: We support patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals through our Information Resource Center (IRC), our award-winning website and our community-based patient access programs. LLS is the leading source of free blood cancer information, education and support for patients, survivors, families and healthcare professionals, with free educational webcasts, and an array of family support and peer-to-peer programs that match newly diagnosed patients with trained volunteer survivors. To date, our co-pay assistance program has provided $240 million to help eligible blood cancer patients afford health-insurance premiums and prescription drug co-pays. The program has assisted more than 55,000 patients since its inception in 2007. Our IRC fields approximately 40,000 calls a year, providing accurate, up-to-date, disease-related information and referral services to the public, families, health professionals and people living with a blood cancer. As well, LLS helps patients identify and enroll in the latest clinical trials and treatments. Advocate for issues impacting blood cancer patients: LLS works to enact state and federal laws and regulations that ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need. LLS advocates to limit out-of- EFTA00603106  LEUKEMIA& LYMPHOMA SOCIETY' someday is torilv- LLS's impact pocket costs for patients, ensure robust doctor and hospital networks and transparency so patients understand their insurance coverage when they make benefit choices. LLS has built a nationwide grassroots network of more than 100,000 volunteer advocates to empower blood cancer patients to affect real change. LLS works with Congress and the FDA to promote new medical discoveries and speed the development of new treatments and cures. LLS has made a difference in the lives of blood cancer patients by helping pass oral parity laws in more than 20 states to ensure equity on cost sharing for patients who rely on self-administered treatments. Why We're Here The need is critical: More than1.2 million people in North America are living with, or are in remission from, leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes. Approximately every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer. Approximately every 10 minutes, someone dies. Thanks to research, survival rates for patients with many blood cancers have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled since the early 1960s. Despite these advances, about one third of patients with a blood cancer still do not survive even five years after their diagnosis, which is why more funding is needed to bring better therapies to patients, and faster. How We are Funded As a nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations. Major, annual fundraising campaigns include Team In Training8, Light The Night® Walk, Student Series ProgramssM, Man & Woman of the Year and The Leukemia Cup Regatta. Where to Find Us In addition to our national headquarters in Rye Brook, NY, we have a network of more than 50 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Information on blood cancers and support is available through our IRC and at www.LLS.orq. For Additional Information Information Resource Center: Media: Andrea Greif, senior director of communications To volunteer or donate: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The LLS Mission: Cure leukemia. lymphoma. Hodgkin's disease and myeloma. and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifocowion Montt rnnror rataarrh Wm and tho woad nowrlot froo info...notion and co innort ■ ■ EFTA00603107