Benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Pennies For Patients Benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Our school is about to join students across the country and collect spare change to help The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We’re going to learn about blood cancers while we help students like yourselves and their families as they battle a disease that affects the entire family.

What is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society? LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood-cancer research, education and patient services. We strive to improve the life of patients and their families and find a cure for blood cancers. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood-cancer research, education and patient services. Last year the Washington/Alaska chapter gave out over $115,000 in patient financial aid - this helps to pay for parking fees, mileage, co pays and some medications. Our mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life for patience and their families.

Information On Blood Cancers Leukemia is the most common form of cancer in children ages 15 and younger. Animals like cats, fish and apes can get leukemia. You cannot catch leukemia from someone who has it. You can get chemotherapy, radiation or a bone marrow transplant to help you get better. Leukemia is the number one disease killer of children under the age of 15. There are two forms of leukemia - one makes people get sick fast and the other makes people get sick over time. Animals like cats, fish and apes can get leukemia. You cannot catch leukemia from someone who has it. You cannot inherit a blood cancer from someone in your family. Leukemia - cancer of the bone marrow and blood. SYMPTOMS - easy bruising or bleeding, paleness or easy fatigue, poor healing of minor cuts. Lymphoma - cancer that originates in the lymphatic system. SYMPTOMS - swelling of lymph nodes, fatigue, recurring high fever, troublesome itching and weight loss. TWO FORMS - Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin. TREATMENTS Chemotherapy - can be taken in the form of a pill, or through an IV in your arm. Chemotherapy makes you sick to your stomach, tired and can make your hair fall out. The problem is this treatment attacks both the cancer cells and the good cells your body needs to get better. Radiation Bone Marrow Transplant - they take what makes up the inside of your bones from one person and put it into the patient.

Why LLS is Important 75% of the money raised goes toward research, educational programs and patient financial aid. Every 5 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. We provide educational programs that help patients, doctors and their families learn more about their cancer. Survival rates for children are up to 85% from 4% in the 1960’s. An estimated 670,950 Americans currently have a blood cancer. Every 5 minutes someone is diagnosed - more than 300 people a day. Leukemia will strike 8 times as many adults this year as children. 75% of all monies raised goes to research, education and patient financial aid.

How Does The Program Work? You bring in your spare change for three weeks! You can find change anywhere! Ask your parents for the spare change from their pockets or cars! We don’t just take pennies, we take any spare change, paper money, even checks from parents or business supporters! For three weeks you bring change into your classroom or homeroom. Look for change anywhere you go...on the sidewalk, in the washing machine, on the floor of the car, in the couch cushions! Ask your parents for the change in their pockets, from the car, or donate the change left over from buying your lunch!

Your School Can Earn Prizes! The class in each school who collects the most money wins a special lunch party! Your school can earn gift cards to buy new supplies for your school! Classrooms collecting $300+ earn a Gold Pennant; $200+ earn a Silver Pennant; and $100+ earn a Bronze Pennant. The top fundraising classroom in each school will earn a lunch party from LLS or one of our sponsors. (Your school must raise at least $500 to qualify.) Your school can earn a gift card to buy school supplies, electronics and much more if you raise at least $1,000! The Pennant Program is new this year! Each classroom can earn a special pennant depending on how much the classroom collects! So set a goal for your classroom and watch your spare change add up.

How Are We Helping? $2,000 raised by your school will give 4 families $500 for patient financial aid. There will be more money for researchers to continue looking for a cure. You are helping out people like our Honored Heroes. You are showing people who have cancer that you care and want to make their life better! The money raised will help families pay for anything from medication and treatment to gas and parking. ANY person who applies for patient financial aid will receive it. Money will help continue funding for researchers across the country. The Society helped to fund a researcher in Oregon who developed a new drug with less side effects to help fight a particular type of leukemia. Every penny counts, and by just being involved you are helping to fight these diseases and inspiring others to do the same! Last year across the country, students from 21,000 schools raised $18 million to help fund lifesaving cancer research and services for patients. Our goal in Washington and Alaska is to collect $395,000 during this campaign. Last year schools collected $350,000.

Our Honored Hero Program An Honored Hero is a student your age who is in remission from leukemia or is currently going through treatment. Your Honored Hero likes to do the same type of things you do. You can contact your Honored Hero during the program! An Honored Hero is someone who is in remission or is currently going through treatment. Honored Heroes are just like you, and have hobbies and interests. Most of our Honored Heroes for the program are in remission and only go to the doctor occasionally to make sure everything is ok. You can send a letter or picture to your Honored Hero, by sending it through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Patients love to get email, too. Some are even available for school visits.

Remember, your spare change equals big change for blood cancer patients. Thank you for supporting our program. Have fun and happy collecting!