The future we all want—one without cancer—isn’t just built in labs. It’s also being driven by everyday people turning hope into action.
Each year, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Visionaries of The Year campaign empowers thousands of local leaders nationwide to raise funds and awareness for the LLS mission.
During the 10-week campaign, Visionaries candidates form powerful fundraising teams and center their efforts around one of LLS’s three core “mission pillars”—policy and advocacy, patient education and support or research—honoring local blood cancer survivors in their communities. Their chosen mission pillar is close to the heart: Some Visionaries candidates are cancer survivors whose lives were saved by cutting-edge research, while others have found resilience in connecting with survivors while in treatment.
“Visionaries are true leaders who contribute much more than the dollars they raise,” says Lore Gruenbaum, PhD, LLS’s Chief Scientific Officer. “They help us engage communities, inspire others to give or volunteer and ultimately help patients lead better and longer lives.”
Below hear from three 2024 Mission Pillar Awards winners—including what drives their work, how they’ve impacted their communities and their hope for the future.