To honor this month’s Leukemia Awareness Month, we are taking a closer look at leukemia and some of the remarkable advancements made possible by the tireless efforts of organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, and it has been a dreaded diagnosis for years. But today, there is more hope than ever before—thanks to rising survival rates, deeper understanding of demographics, and an exciting wave of treatment breakthroughs. These advances have been made possible by organizations such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the largest nonprofit funder of blood cancer research. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has invested over $1.7 billion to advance groundbreaking therapies and provide support for patients and families.
In the United States, an estimated 63K new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed this year, with nearly half a million people currently living with leukemia or in remission. Survival rates have improved dramatically over the past few decades, climbing from just 34% in the 1970s to around 70% today. Children fare especially well, with survival reaching nearly 88%.
In Canada, projections show about 4,500 new leukemia cases annually, with that number expected to grow modestly over the coming decade.
Mortality rates linked to leukemia are declining, and treatment options are becoming increasingly personalized, less toxic, and more effective. Patients are living longer, healthier lives, with more options than ever before. Rapid advances are reshaping leukemia care, which includes new, targeted treatments that provide better outcomes with fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. The development of new medications and therapies have turned what was once a life-limiting diagnosis into what’s for many a manageable condition.
How You Can Help
By supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, whether through donations, volunteering, or participation in fundraising events such as Light The Night, each of us can play a role in helping to advance treatment and bring us closer to cures.
The Amenity Collective’s Brianna Schweizer shares her Light the Night story.
The First Onsite team in British Columbia has launched a fundraising and awareness campaign to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada in honour of their colleague and friend, Todd Yuen, who has been battling leukemia.
