Thank you for stopping by day 5 of Blogging for Blood Cancer. Today’s prize is 5 sets of vinyl wall decals (value=$48.00) courtesy of Stakersensations. Yesterday’s winner was commenter # 25 – Nikki! She knew that FOH and its Affiliate teams have raised over $958,241 in four seasons!

To qualify to win, leave a comment with an answer to the question after reading the post.

Five years ago, we all started because of a blue eyed baby girl named Allie. Five years later we are still here and going strong, in fact each year we grow stronger. Friends of Heroes has become a big part of each of our lives, and we are still making a huge difference each year. Five years from now we all share the same hope that there will be no need for us, because we will have a cure.

Friends of Heroes, formerly Friends of Allie and Allie’s Angels, is the largest national Friends and Family Light The Night team in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s history. The team was originally created to honor Allie Scott, an 8 month old baby from Allen, TX who passed away from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in September 2004. You can read more about the inspiration for Friends of Heroes (here).

Since then, Friends of Heroes has grown dramatically in both size and focus. The team not only retains a core group of over 600 registered walkers, but also welcomes several affiliate teams across the country. In the 2007 Light The Night season, Friends of Heroes had a team presence at 60 walksites and raised a $114,000 dollars in the fight against blood cancers.

Friends of Heroes and affiliates actively fundraise for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, with a passion and focus towards eradicating pediatric blood cancers. We strive to incorporate honored children at each walksite – local children who are either currently undergoing treatment or in remission from any blood cancer.

The Friends of Heroes Light The Night team is overseen by national team leaders, volunteers who oversee fundraising and team organization, as well as a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Friends and Family national manager. We always welcome new volunteers, and encourage you to contact any of the team leaders for more information on how to get involved in our mission.

Our Mission Statement

As Friends of Heroes, we are a volunteer organization whose purpose is:

• To raise money toward pediatric blood cancer research and patient services through Light The Night walks.
• To make a positive difference in the lives of families affected by pediatric cancer.
• To invoke awareness in our local communities of the need for cancer research.
• To build an international network of individuals and teams who share our passion and goal to raise money for an awareness of pediatric blood cancer.

Five years later…………………

Reflecting back over my years with Friends of Heroes and doing the Light the Night walks my first thought goes to the children and their families. How their world must have been turned upside down to find out that someone they loved was diagnosed with Leukemia/Lymphoma. My second thought goes to what if that would happen to my son or daughter wouldn’t I hope that people would do the same as I’m doing which is VOLUNTEERING my time to make the difference in someone else’s life.
If you’ve never walked in the Light the Night before let me tell you it’s a wonderful experience and you should really consider doing one. It’s a night that people get together to honor and remember those who have or are battling this awful disease. Seeing the crowds of people and the balloons flickering as the sun goes down and at our walk in St. Louis we see the sidewalk towards of the end of the walk we see candles inside bags lining the walkway of the people we just walked in honor or in memory of. It’s an experience that keeps bringing me back year after year.
Kathie Team Captain relations

“Friends of Heroes is a part of my life. After meeting several cancer heroes, it makes me want to work HARDER to find a cure. I really hope that in 5 years, Friends of Heroes will not be here, BECAUSE there is a cure for blood cancers!”
Beck Social Networks Coordinator

Why am I still walking five years later…Because mother’s are still losing their children to this horrible disease. No child should have to fight for their lives. They should be enjoying being a child. No mother should have to watch as their child suffers from this devastating disease wondering if they will make it to their next birthday. Until every child is cured or even better blood cancer is preventable, I still have a job to do and my job is to help raise funds and awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their critical mission. I hope you will all join me in this important fight.
Lois National Co-Captain

Five years later, I am still involved with Friends Of Heroes and Light the Night because, I truly believe that we will find a cure in my life time. These children are our future, and I want no other child to loose their life to this horrible disease. I believe that Friends of Heroes can and is making a huge difference in the fight against cancer. We will keep making a difference and I will always be involved in that until we have no more cancer to raise funds and awareness about and for.
Christy Blog

Hope. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) provides hope to thousands of blood cancer patients each year because of research funded through events like Light The Night.

Five years ago, the five-year survival rate for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood cancer, was only 55%. Today the five-year survival rate is 90.5%. Patients are living longer, better lives!

I am extremely hopeful that in another five years we will see incredible advancements toward a cure, but there is still so much work to be done! Acute myeloid leukemia is still around 50% survival. Those odds need to improve! Families shouldn’t have to lose their precious ones to this devastating disease.

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” – Denis Waitley

Please join us to make a difference!
Jenn National Co-Captain

Enter to win today’s prize
5 sets of vinyl wall decals (value=$48.00) courtesy of Stakersensations
How many registered walkers did FOH have in 2007? Hint: You will find the answer is in this post. Wink, wink.]
You’ll also be entered for our grand prize to be drawn Monday for a $900 Timberland and Lacoste product assortment, courtesy of Samsonite. (Comments are moderated.)
Make sure to stop back all week for more information and even more chances to win!

Welcome to the Friends of Heroes National team website and our Blogging for Blood Cancer Event!!!!!!

Make sure to check back each day for a new post and a new prize to win. Today, you have a chance to win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card. Check at the end of this post to find out how you can win.

Did you know that:

• An estimated 138,530 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma in 2008.
• Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20.
• In 2008, about 497 children under 15 are expected to die from leukemia.

The Friends of Heroes National team walks yearly in the Light the Night Walks to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), whose mission is to raise awareness and funds to cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. This past year, LLS has invested $66.5 million in support of more than 400 researchers and projects in 15 countries on five continents.

Friends of Heroes was formed because of the battle of one brave little baby girl named Allie Scott. Allie was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) at only 5 months of age. Sadly, Allie lost her battle to AML on September 13, 2004 — 4 days shy of turning 9 months. She never walked. She never talked. She never had a birthday party. Yet Allie is still here. She is with thousands of us in spirit every day. She reminds us daily of the value of life. She reminds us to cherish our time with our children. She reminds us of the profound difference a single life can make in this world. She touched people’s hearts and inspired their passion to make a difference. In 2007, the team expanded to honor all pediatric blood cancer patients and their families. In less than four years, the team has raised over $960,000 for the Society, with a 2008 goal of breaking the $1 Million mark, and naming a pediatric blood cancer research grant in honor of the children battling this horrible disease.

Here is the good news: the leukemia death rate for children from 0 to 14 years in the United States has declined about 67 percent over the past three decades. Leukemia five-year survival rates have gone from only 14% in 1960 to 51%, and overall blood cancer five-year survival rates have gone from 24% to almost 60%. Research is the key.

Although research is responsible for increasing survival rates for these diseases, the battle is far from over. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is on the forefront of this life-changing research. LLS has invested more than $600 million in research for advancing the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of these diseases. They have established SCOR teams that include some of the brightest medical researchers in the field of blood cancers – specialists in genetics, cell biology, virology, immunology and other areas. Their work is not finished until a cure is found for this devastating disease.

LLS’ goals continue to increase as they plan for 2008-2011. LLS plans to accelerate the development of new therapies, increase participation in blood cancer clinical trials, provide navigation assistance to patients at all points in their cancer journeys, and make services and information available to a larger percentage of patients within 30 days of diagnosis.

However, LLS needs our help! We may not be researchers or doctors, but here are some things we can do to help further this critical mission:

• Raise awareness for the importance of LLS and their mission through events like this.
• Raise funds personally through events like Light the Night Walks
• Form a walk team at a Light the Night Walks to involve friends, co-workers and family.

Through advocacy to help change a range of public policies that will enhance the search for cures and improve the quality of education, access and treatment of blood cancer patients:

ENTER TO WIN:

For a chance to win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card, just leave a comment with the amount of money LLS has invested in research for finding a cure this past year by MIDNIGHT PST today. [Hint: You will find the answer is in this post. Wink, wink.] You’ll also be entered for our grand prize to be drawn Monday for a $900 Timberland and Lacoste product assortment, courtesy of Samsonite. (The winner will be announced in tomorrow’s post. Comments are being moderated and will be approved later tonight when the winner is selected.)

Make sure to stop back all week for more information and even more chances to win. Here’s a preview of what you’ll have a chance to win:

• Monday 8/11: $25 Starbucks Gift Card
• Tuesday 8/12: $30 gift certificate to The Blue Top Hat plus a cookie card and cookies from the Greeting Cookie
• Wednesday 8/13: Beautiful Handmade Soap from Tasha, and 5 pairs of assorted sterling silver earrings (value =$25) from Designing-Diva
• Thursday 8/14: $50 gift certificate to Susan Murphy, Inc.
• Friday 8/15: 5 sets of vinyls wall decals (value=$48.00) courtesy of Stakersensations
• Saturday 8/16: Princess purse and ribbon tutu from Pretty Posh Princess
• Sunday 8/17: Fused glass pendant from Lucky Girl Trading Company & Tess shopping bag (value=$20.00) courtesey of Mimsi Bags
• Monday 8/18: It’s a Glam Thing beauty gift basket (value=$175) courtesy of It’s a Glam Thing
• Our Grand Prize 8/18: $900 Timberland and Lacoste product assortment, including duffle bags, totes, luggage tags, backpack, key ring, i-pod cases, and purse, courtesy of Samsonite. (This will be drawn from all the comments throughout the event)

Source: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Website and Facts 2008-2009 from LLS

Only three days left until our Blogging for blood Cancer beginsPlease Join us This first   time event will bring bloggers across the United States together to raise awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and , and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. It starts Monday, August 11 and there are lots of great prizes to be won for bloggers and non-bloggers so make sure to stop back.

“Blogging for Blood Cancer” Event Brings Bloggers Together for a Cure

(Princeton, NJ)  The first annual “Blogging for Blood Cancer” event will take place from August 11-18, 2008.  This first time event will bring bloggers from across the United States together to raise awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  

The event is being hosted by Goodies for Mom (http://www.goodiesformom.com) in conjunction with the Friends of Heroes National Light The Night Team (http://www.friendsofheroes.org).  Bloggers will be posting on their blogs throughout the event about the importance of the LLS mission and share personal stories of those they have come to know who have been affected by blood cancer.  All bloggers participating will be entered to win prizes donated by event sponsors.  Visitors to the Goodies for Mom and Friends of Heroes blogs will also have opportunities to win as they learn more about the importance of LLS’s  research and patient services in the fight against blood cancer.

Thank you to the “Blogging for Blood Cancer” Event Sponsors: (A list of sponsors/donors to be included here)

·         Blue Top Hat

·         Goodies for Mom

·         Sara Rose Tutus

·         Susan Murphy, Inc.

About Goodies for Mom

Goodies for Mom is a blog designed to highlight new innovative products, contests, news, and articles that are of interest to moms. Both new and experienced mothers will find something of interest.  For more information, visit http://www.goodiesformom.com/.

About Friends of Heroes (FOH)
Friends of Heroes (FOH), formerly Friends of Allie, is the first and largest national Friends and Family Team for Light The Night Walk to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. FOH  has enlarged its scope to include affiliate teams—both corporate and Friends and Family teams—who share their passion for finding a cure for pediatric blood cancers and making a difference in the lives of families stricken by pediatric blood cancer. Their tagline is “Putting a Face on Childhood Cancer.”  Since August 2004, FOH has raised over $960,000 in support of LLS’s mission.  The team’s overall goal for 2008 is to bring its team grand total to one million dollars raised in just over 4 years. For more information, please visit:  www.friendsofheroes.org 

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, headquartered in White Plains, NY, with 68 chapters in the United States and Canada, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The Society’s mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has invested more than $600 million in research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, the Society made 5.1 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s nationwide annual evening fundraising walk, held each fall to celebrate and commemorate people whose lives have been touched by cancer. Light The Night is open to all—it does not require a particular level of fitness. In 2007, thousands of people in approximately 230 communities in the United States and Canada participated in a Light The Night Walk event, raising nearly $39 million for research and patient services.

For more information about blood cancer, visit www.LLS.org or call the LLS Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by master’s level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC information specialists are available at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Contact:
Lois Whittaker
National Team Co-Captain
609-844-1061
lois@friendsofheroes.org