The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Midlands Chapter announces 2018 Man & Woman of the Year winners
May 22, 2018
A Columbia woman and a Lexington man have been named the winners of this year’s Man & Woman of the Year of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Midlands’s chapter.
The two winners, Eric Bopp of Lexington, and Mary Lane Sloan of Columbia, raised $72,569 and $74,711 respectively, to support LLS’s goal to find cures for blood cancers and ensure that patients have access to lifesaving treatments.
During a spirited 10 week fundraising period beginning with a kickoff celebration, candidates across the country competed in honor of a local boy or girl who is a blood cancer survivor to raise the most funds to ensure a world without blood cancers.
Candidates and their campaign teams were judged solely on fundraising success, each dollar counting as one vote. Their totals are then considered for the national title. Candidates in each LLS chapter across the country vie for the local title, and the highest fundraisers earn the title of National Man & Woman of the Year. The national titles will be awarded to the top fundraisers in the country, to be announced this summer.
Mary Lane was deeply honored to be involved with LLS, as her husband and high school sweetheart was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when he was 16. She is grateful to be helping LLS since he has been in remission since high school!
Eric joined the pool of candidates through his F3 running group. The F3 Team has a legacy team for the Man and Woman of the Year campaign and continues to help find a cure for Blood Cancers.
“Congratulations to our winners, and to all eight of our candidates and campaign team members who participated in this year’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign,” said Paul Jeter, LLS South Carolina Executive Director. “These exceptional volunteers are all passionate and determined individuals, and leaders in their communities. Together, we are getting closer to LLS’s goal of a world without blood cancer.” Together all eight candidates raised over $305,000!
LLS is the world’s leading non-profit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding cures for blood cancers and ensuring that patients have access to lifesaving treatments. Every nine minutes someone in the U.S. dies of a blood cancer. Through programs like Man & Woman of the Year, LLS has invested more than $1.2 billion in research to advance breakthrough therapies. In 2017 alone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 18 therapies to treat patients with blood cancers, including some entirely new agents and some new uses for already approved drugs. The funds raised through LLS’s Man & Woman of the Year are used for:
- Research to advance targeted therapies and immunotherapies that are saving thousands of lives;
- Blood cancer information, education and support for patients;
- Policies that ensure patients have access to blood cancer treatments.
Visit the Man & Woman of the Year website and learn how you can become engaged with LLS.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS 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, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
