If you look on my TNT donation page, it appears that I only have $25 (given so graciously by Miss Taylor Mayad!), but that's because any checks that I receive in the mail are not included on the website total because they go directly to the Society instead of through the Internet. So, I actually have a total of $145, thanks to a very generous check from Matt's brother and sister-in-law and one from my step-mom's sister. (Would that be my step-aunt? Do we have those?)
So, here are a few things everyone should know about these cancers:
- Blood-related cancers are the leading fatal malignant diseases in young men and women under the age of 35 in the U.S.
- EVERY 5 MINUTES, SOMEONE NEW IS DIAGNOSED. Every 10 minutes, someone will lose the fight.
- Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are cancers that originate in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissue as a result of an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes malignant and multiplies continuously. This abnormal accumulation interferes with the production of healthy blood cells.
These facts are scary, but with the help of the Society, every member of the TEAM and those who support us with donations, positive thoughts and prayers...
- ... the survival rate for Leukemia has tripled from 14% in 1960 to 46.3% today.
- ... the 5-year survival rate for children with Acute Lymphatic Leukemia was 4% in 1960 and is 85% today.
- ... radiation-induced cures are now possible for patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease.
- ... the 5-year survival rate for Hodgkin Lymphoma in people under 20 years of age is now 96%.
This is what the TEAM is all about. Not getting in shape or meeting new friends and running buddies--those are just the perks. It's about fighting for all the people fighting blood cancers, because they shouldn't have to do it alone.
"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."
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