TO CUREANNUAL REPORT 2002 Throughout this Annual Report, you will find pictures of some of our family members, each of whom represents thousands of others, all working in different ways to make the Society’s goals a reality. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a family of volunteers, researchers and staff, dedicated to advancing a common mission: To cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Closer to Cures Our family has a very personal reason for caring about finding cures for blood cancers. We lost a child to leukemia, and nothing can ever compensate for that loss. It is our wish that other families be spared that pain. Over more than 20 years, I’ve seen the Society make strides toward a day when our wish becomes reality. Through Norbert J. Sieber, Chairman of the National Board of Trustees through Society-sponsored research, less toxic, targeted treatments 2004, has volunteered through the are being discovered that save, prolong and enhance the Society’s Western Pennsylvania & lives of patients and their families. Every year, through West Virginia Chapter for more Society programs, more and more patients are being than a decade. reached with the information and support they need to survive blood cancers. And every year, more patients survive. But not all. Sadly, in the United States alone, we expect blood cancers to cause the deaths of more Barbara Bush, wife to than 58,000 people this year. one U.S. president and I am proud to lend my name to the Society and its work. mother to a second, Because of the efforts of its volunteers, staff and medical has been an honorary and research partners, we are closer than ever to cures trustee of the Society for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. since 1972. And I have faith that continued support for their efforts is the key to realizing those cures. Dwayne Howell and David Weild IV, NASDAQ Vice Chairman, at the Barbara Bush opening of trading on April 17, 2002 National Honorary Chair in New York City. 2 ■ www.leukemia-lymphoma.org Advancing our Mission In Fiscal Year 2002, the Society faced the severe new The Society made significant strides toward our long-term challenges issued by global uncertainty and economic goal of reaching all newly-diagnosed blood cancer patients, upheaval. In a suddenly changed environment, our volun- and making our services available to each of them. This teers and staff responded by working even harder and in year we responded to more than 200,000 requests for closer partnership, making creative use of every resource assistance through our Information Resource Center (IRC), at their disposal to advance our mission. The tests they patient outreach programs in our chapters across the confronted required unprecedented teamwork, some country and our Web site. sacrifice on every front and the benefits of earlier financial planning and technology investments. But at the end of the Chapter and electronic resources helped us more than year the Society emerged stronger than before. Revenues double — to 7,500 — the number of advocacy volunteers rose slightly to an all-time high of $151.5 million, and who work for our organization. On April 30, we attended our ability to serve and support the people who rely a “lobby day” in Washington D.C. as part of The Blood on us was uncompromised. Cancer Coalition, and celebrated congressional passage of the Hematological Cancer Research and Education The Society funded $37.6 million in blood cancer research Investment Act that very day. Dwayne Howell has served as this year — a $1.5 million increase over Fiscal Year 2001 — the Society’s President and Chief underscoring our commitment to mission. Investments in We would like to express our tremendous gratitude to the Executive Officer since 1993. research brought the wonderful dividend of less toxic, more members of our board, our volunteers, donors and staff life-enhancing and life-prolonging treatments for patients. for their resilience and ability to move forward through the winds of change, and persevere. As a result of our Our Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) Program teamwork, we’re able to look back on 2002 with a sense welcomed a new team at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer of accomplishment at our progress toward cures for blood Research Center in Seattle. There, Irwin Bernstein, M.D., cancers, and improved quality of life for patients and leads a group of investigators studying the Immunotherapy their families. of Hematological Malignancies, arming immune cells or antibodies with toxic agents to kill cancer cells without affecting normal ones. These approaches, if successful, Norbert J. Sieber Dwayne Howell will offer hope to thousands of blood cancer patients, Chairman President & CEO whose inability to tolerate non-targeted toxic therapies often leaves them without access to the most effective means of combating their diseases. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ■ 3 LEUKEMIA • A malignant disease of the bone marrow and blood • Common types of leukemia are divided into four categories: myelogenous or lymphocytic, which can be acute or chronic • Approximately 30,800 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in the United States this year • Leukemia strikes 10 times as many adults as children • It remains the leading cause of disease-related deaths among children under age 15 • Approximately 21,700 Americans will die from leukemia this year • The five-year survival rate for children under age 15 with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is now 85 percent • The five-year relative survival rate for leukemia is 46 percent “We run support groups for inner city teens with blood Note: Relative survival rate refers to an estimated percent of patients cancers. We’re more than their doctors — we’re their that would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. counselors and confidantes. It’s a thrill to make a difference in these kids’ lives.” Dr. Sadanandan is Chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Brooklyn Hospital in New York City. Every day, in the LYMPHOMA M YELOMA United States alone, more than 300 people • A group of cancers that originates in the lymphatic system • A cancer of the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell learn they have blood found mainly in bone marrow cancer. Every nine minutes, someone dies. • The two main types of lymphoma are non-Hodgkin and • Its cause is unknown and it is the most intractable of Hodgkin lymphoma (also called Hodgkin’s disease) the blood cancers with survival at only 30 percent • Approximately 60,900 new lymphoma cases will be • Approximately 14,600 new myeloma cases will be diagnosed in the United States this year diagnosed in the United States this year • The relative survival rate for patients under age 20 with • Eighty percent of myeloma cases occur after age 60; Hodgkin lymphoma is 93 percent it is rarely found in individuals under age 50 • In children with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the five-year • Incidence rates for myeloma are approximately 50 percent survival rate is 78 percent higher in men than in women and twice as high for African Americans than for all other races • Approximately 25,800 Americans will die from lymphoma • Approximately 10,800 Americans will die from myeloma this year this year • Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most curable cancers; the five-year relative survival rate is now 83 percent • The five-year relative survival rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma is now 55 percent The Society is structured for synergy, supporting research and patient services for all major blood cancers The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ■ 5 “As director of the Society Specialized Center of Research for Multiple Myeloma, I coordinate four synergistic teams to investigate the development and control of myeloma. We expect this to lead to new and better thera- pies for myeloma patients.” Selina Chen-Kiang, Ph.D., Society-funded Researcher, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY To cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma... Discovering cures through leading-edge research This year, we continued full speed ahead with Society sponsored research on leukemia, lymphoma advances toward cures. We supported scientists at and myeloma this year ranged from basic genomics the forefront of blood cancer research around the (gene structure and function analysis) to studies world through our Career Development Program, utilizing advanced technologies like DNA microarray Translational Research Programs and Specialized chips to diagnose illness and seek cures. Much of Center of Research (SCOR) Program, now in its the research we support focuses on turning hard third year. science into life-enhancing treatments that increase survival rates and enhance the quality of life of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is structured to patients and families. provide high potential for superior returns on our cancer research investment. This advantage stems This year, 23 new Translational Research awards from the scope, magnitude and focus of our funding. were granted and six renewals were made for pro- Our researchers work across all blood cancers, at grams approaching clinical trial stages. Seventy-four levels of funding that create economies of scale. As new awards went to researchers in our Career a nonprofit organization, we fill the void created by Development Program. government and corporate-funded research by award- ing grants to projects with higher risk/reward profiles. $37.6 million was granted to 481 individual researchers or projects in 15 countries on five continents in 2002. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ■ 7 Making important progress In 2002, therapeutic advances were made on all disease fronts … Leukemia – In May, GleevecTM, the breakthrough Myeloma – Robert Orlowski, M.D., Ph.D. is testing a therapy that kills cancer cells without harming normal new class of cancer-fighting drugs called proteasome ones, was shown to be superior to standard therapies inhibitors.