Friends of Heroes - National Light The Night Team

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Friends of Heroes Co-Captain’s Corner (June 2008)

2008-06-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it is already June! Our local school is out this Friday and I am looking forward to our summer plans!!!

As a Friends of Heroes team captain, summer also signifies the ideal time for me to prepare for Light The Night fundraising. I mentioned last summer that it's easy to get in a "fundraising rut", but we can accomplish our goals with a little preparation and a positive frame of mind.

As always, Friends of Heroes continues to inspire me. Three of our walkers have already begun fundraising for Light The Night: Alison Bazeley, Kathie Eberlie and Beck Marko. They have each raised over $300 this year. Way to go!!!! And kudos to those in the preparation stage who will give them a run for their money ;)

Connecting with personal stories is vital to remaining motivated to fundraise. It all began with sweet Allie Scott and Sam Eisenburg, yet it did not stop there. This past month, I was touched by two stories that have reminded me why our efforts to raise money and awareness for Light The Night and blood cancers is so very important.

In 2005, I attended our LTN Kick-Off and sat next to Anne, one our chapter’s fundraising coaches for TNT. From that first meeting, I knew she lived and breathed fundraising for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and her enthusiasm was infectious! This year, when I was asked to work alongside of Anne on our local Friends & Family Committee, I knew I couldn’t pass up the chance to learn from her.

Three weeks ago, I was shocked to hear that she was diagnosed with leukemia for the first time. Not that all of her volunteer work with the Society would have protected her from a leukemia diagnosis, but it was a reminder that none of us are immune. Anne was taken a few hours away to UCSF Cancer Center where she was treated with a very intensive chemotherapy protocol. Thankfully, her bone marrow biopsy showed minimal leukemia cells and hopefully her doctor will declare remission if her next biopsy continues on this trend.

I also heard from one of my very close friends from high school this month. His younger brother, Michael, was diagnosed with pediatric leukemia shortly after our high school graduation. I have thought of Michael many times during my fundraising events and LTN walks. After a bone marrow transplant from their youngest sister, Michael successfully went into remission. My friend thankfully confirmed that Michael currently has been disease-free for over ten years.

Research funding from the Society has contributed to many oncology research developments: from chemotherapy and leukemia treatments to platelet pherisis technology to bone marrow transplant procedures. Because of the cutting-edge, life saving research done over the past five decades, patients like Anne and Michael can have hope for a lasting cure.

As Friends of Heroes we have much to be proud of: we have raised an inspirational $959,000 toward blood cancer patient services and research! With your support, each of you makes an incredible impact on the lives that are being saved daily.

Please join us this year, whether you are new to Friends of Heroes or a member from the Allie’s Angels - Friends of Allie - Friends of Heroes team. Help us to make a difference. Help us to fund cures that will save lives. Register to be part of our amazing team of LIFE SAVERS and to be a huge force for good.

On behalf of Anne, Michael, their families and many others like theirs, THANK YOU for helping to find a cure.

By Jenn B., Co-Captain

Family Friendly Fundraising - Ideas For Kids

2008-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

How your kids can be involved!

Friends of Heroes has always been such a family oriented group. Many of us met online on our birth boards, others at play groups, or just word to mouth. Just looking at our Light the Night photo albums just shows that a major part of our teams are our kids!

It is so easy to let them get involved and make a HUGE difference.

Here are a few tips and idea to get your child involved. They will feel so great for helping out! Lets plant the seeds of giving and watch them grow.

Talk to your child, let them know why you are fundraising. Let them ask questions. A great movie to watch for explaining cancer to a young child is “Why Charlie Brown? Why?” Most Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offices will have a copy to borrow. Be sure to let them ask questions as well.

Let them come up with their own ideas! If is painting happy faces on rocks or planning a race, let them go for their dream. Just let them know that you are there to support them!

Tell them how great they are and what a big difference that this will make. I think that this is the part that is the most rewarding to my kids. They love to hear that they are helping!

Finally, reward them. You can take them out to ice cream, maybe even get them that toy that they have been wanting for so long, or print them a very nice certificate. But let them know that they did something so wonderful for others that it is there time to be honored.

Please be sure to share with us what your children are doing and take lots of pictures so that we can have some featured kid heroes!

Some fun ideas for your child’s fundraisers

Lemonade stands,
Kids crafts sale,
Dance a thon,
Walk or run a thon,
Carnivals,
Sell old toys,
Skating party,
Pennies for patients at their school (contact local LLS Chapter for more details)
Selling candy bars

Submitted by Beck Marko

Free Summer Gas Promotion for Light The Night fundraisers!

2008-05-28T17:17:00.001-07:00

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is happy to announce the third year of its national Light The Night Walk gas promotion, Light The Night Save at the Pump. The program is available for all registered Light The Night participants from July 1 through Aug. 31, 2008.

Here's how it works:

Participants who raise money online receive free gas cards that can be redeemed at most major gasoline providers. Each participant who raises $250 to $499 will receive a $15 card, or for every $500 raised online, they will get a card worth $50. There is also a great Grand Prize, details of which will be announced later.

"LLS wants to help its dedicated Light The Night fundraisers during these times of rising gas prices," said Nancy Klein, chief marketing and revenue officer. "We are grateful for their support."

To register online to earn free gas, visit http://teams.lightthenight.org/friendsofheroes and walk with Friends of Heroes!

Conquer Childhood Cancer Act update

2008-05-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Children afflicted by cancer are one step closer to having the resources they need to battle their disease. On May 9, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed H.R. 1553, which was also renamed the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and the name change was in honor of Pryce’s daughter, Caroline, who lost her battle against neuroblastoma at age 9.

“I am thrilled with the continued progress of this bill,” said Pryce of the committee’s passing of the bill. “I am increasingly optimistic that Congress will soon give pediatric cancer the attention and resources it so desperately needs.”

Cancer is the No. 1 disease killer of children under the age of 15. The bill would authorize $150 million over five years to develop grants for research fellowships in pediatric cancer, to fund a population-based national childhood cancer database and to award grants to childhood cancer organizations to raise public awareness, ensuring access to the best available therapies for pediatric cancers.

The bill now moves to the House floor for consideration. Companion legislation (S.911), sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee last November.

From The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Advocacy Update

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