The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) is committed to offering hope to patients by funding research on blood cancer. At Bishop Gorman, students regularly contribute to this mission by raising money to support the advancement of blood cancer research.
LLS was born out of family’s grief following the death of their teenage son Robert “Robbie” Roesler de Villiers. Since then LLS is the largest nonprofit funder of leading-edge research for every type of blood cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Their mission begins with curing blood cancer and improving the quality of life of all patients and their families. They have invested over $1.5 billion dollars in cancer research since their founding in 1949 and do not plan on stopping anytime soon.
Students participate in this organization to help give back to those who need it the most and to fight alongside with patients who are battling serious conditions. “I grew up around LLS my whole life. The person who used to watch me when I was younger worked with LLS and so ever since I was younger I’ve heard about it and knew I was going to do it when I was in high school,” Ryan Arcana ‘26 said. LLS has always been an organization dedicated to fighting for patients suffering from blood cancer, and students have joined this mission to provide hope through action.
LLS has served as an outlet for students who are passionate about making a difference in the world and preventing suffering for patients and their families. “My grandmother had non Hodgkin’s lymphoma and my moms friend Peter, had AML leukemia. So I got to see how blood cancer directly impacts families and friends. I wanted to help people like my grandmother and Peter so they don’t have to go through the same pain when suffering from blood cancer,” Ryan Arcana ‘26 said.
By creating hope through action, students actively volunteer within the organization, brainstorming different ways to raise awareness of LLS’s mission and the advancement of blood cancer research. “I’m one of three leaders of our team. Our team name is the Avengers, and so we have about 20 people that are on our team that we constantly host meetings for and give them incentives to raise money for blood cancer,” Zachary Coneh ‘26 said.
The ‘Avengers’ organize fundraising activities to engage with the community and raise awareness about blood cancer within their local area. “Last Wednesday, our team, the Avengers, hosted an exclusive charity event at Wino where we had the entire restaurant to ourselves for the night. We invited a variety of guests to enjoy an evening filled with gourmet food and great company. Attendees purchased tickets for the event and participated in a raffle with all proceeds going directly to support our charity. It was an unforgettable night of generosity and community all in the name of a good cause,” Zachary Coneh ‘26 said.
It’s important to give back to the community, not only to support those in need but also to bring hope to individuals battling serious health conditions. By coming together we can make an impact and inspire those facing challenges to keep on fighting. “I think it’s important for young people to participate in organizations like this because they can help the community and make a real difference. It is also very impressive for young teenagers to be advocating for this cause and setting up meetings with businesses and doing presentations,” Ryan Arcana ‘26 said.
For more information about LLS and ways to help fulfill their mission you can visit their website lls.org or follow their instagram @llslasvegas and @llsusa
