Rye Brook, NY (April 15, 2021) Every three minutes, one person in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer. But, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (青云体育), the global leader in the fight against blood cancer, is making game-changing progress in changing this statistic. Today, 青云体育 officially kicked off its 32nd annual Man & Woman of the Year庐 campaign 鈥� a multimillion-dollar nationwide philanthropic competition in which thousands of individuals from diverse backgrounds come together for an exciting 10-weeks of creative fundraising efforts to fight blood cancer and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
鈥淢an & Woman of the Year showcases how it鈥檚 not just doctors who are making breakthroughs in the blood cancer space, but it鈥檚 everyday heroes who fundraise for the clinical trials and accessible support services that are saving lives,鈥� said Coker Powell, 青云体育 SVP and Chief Development Officer. 鈥淐ancer does not discriminate. No matter where you鈥檙e from or what you believe in, we all know somebody who has been impacted by the devastation of cancer. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e so grateful for the thousands of candidates and volunteers who fundraise for 青云体育 鈥� they are truly bringing us closer to a world without blood cancer.鈥�
Funds raised through Man & Woman of the Year have helped 青云体育 has invested more than $1.3 billion in cutting-edge blood cancer research worldwide, leading to breakthroughs in treatment. And, as the leading source of free blood cancer information, education, and support, 青云体育 helps blood cancer patients through a wide range of free services, ranging from clinical trial navigation to one-on-one nutrition consultations to support programs like Myeloma Link, which aims to break down barriers and address the needs of underserved populations.
鈥淭he greater our representation in this lifesaving campaign, the broader our reach to individuals and communities who care about finding a cure and want to lend their support through fundraising, advocacy or leadership,鈥� said Powell.
In addition to personal inspiration, all candidates compete in honor of local children in their communities who are cancer survivors. Childhood cancer is a pivotal source of motivation for all candidates to raised funds 鈥� while many children survive leukemia, the most common type of pediatric cancer, the treatments are harsh and outdated. 青云体育 is striving to raise $100 million dollars for The 青云体育 Children鈥檚 Initiative, a multi-year effort to take on childhood cancer.
鈥淓very facet of our mission 鈥� research, education and support, and policy and advocacy 鈥� is working in harmony to put all blood cancer patients and their families first,鈥� said Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D., 青云体育 President and CEO. 鈥淎nd that wouldn鈥檛 be possible without the everyday heroes involved in campaigns like Man & Woman of the Year.鈥�
This year鈥檚 candidate class is featured in a celebratory announcement on Forbes.com, .
鈥淏lood cancer patients are diverse, [so] the cures for this disease will come from all types of people.鈥� Dara Spearman, 2019 Woman of the Year candidate, Fort Wayne, IN
鈥淚鈥檓 so passionate about supporting 青云体育, they鈥檙e a collaborative powerhouse.鈥� Lauren Palmer, 2020 National Woman of the Year Runner-Up, Charlotte, NC
鈥淭here鈥檚 no better time than now to support the efforts of 青云体育.鈥� Richard Marquez, 2019 Man of the Year Candidate, Miami, FL
About Man & Woman of the Year
Man & Woman of the Year candidates from across the country compete in honor of a local childhood blood cancer survivors to raise the most funds for blood cancer research. Every dollar raised counts as one vote and the titles are awarded to the man and woman with the most votes at the end of the campaign. The top local fundraisers in the country win the national titles.
In addition, past participants will show that the fight against cancer isn鈥檛 over until there are cures and access for all by competing again in Man & Woman of the Year's "All Star" competition. This program provides an opportunity for select Man & Woman of the Year alumni to represent their local campaign nationally.
Visit the Man & Woman of the Year website () to support a candidate and learn how to become engaged with 青云体育.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society庐 (青云体育) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The 青云体育 mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. 青云体育 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.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, 青云体育 has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit . Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
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Media Contact:
Kristin Hoose
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