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Heather is
Blood Cancer United

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Heather draws her inspiration from her good friend, who has been fighting non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for the past 10 years and her college best friend who is a survivor. She is motivated by her friends’ strength, determination, and positivity. In times of feeling helpless, she channels that energy and puts it into her sewing machine.  

 Heather has taken part in the Light The Night Walk since 2015 and has raised over $40,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). She started an Etsy store in the fall of 2017, selling fleece blankets and beautiful handmade t-shirt quilts, in which 100% of her profits go to LLS.  

The pandemic didn’t slow her down either! She made over 1,500 masks between March and November of 2020 and raised $18,348 for last year’s Light the Night virtual walk, $11,000 of which were from mask donations!  

Heather is also a fifth-grade teacher, but says, “The time and energy that I put into fundraising has become a passion, and almost a second full-time job, but I can’t imagine not doing everything in my power to raise as much money as I can.”  

She still feels like there is more to be done and will continue to do all she can. “Thank you to LLS for everything you have done for my friends and the millions of other people whose lives have been so brutally affected by blood cancer!”  

Written by LLS Story Volunteer, Grace 

Heather

Volunteer

We are Blood Cancer United.

Everyone affected by blood cancer—patients, survivors, caregivers, researchers, advocates, fundraisers, everyone—has a story. Share yours.
Two children stand together on a wooden bridge at a theme park, wearing colorful character-themed outfits and mouse ear headbands, with a large green topiary figure and water feature in the background—highlighting childhood joy, family moments, and hope within the blood cancer community and pediatric blood cancer awareness.

Riley

Family member and caregiver

Photo of Jan, Lymphoma survivor

Jan

Lymphoma

Rachel in hospital with head wrap holding "It's my last day of chemo" sign

Rachel

lymphoma

Woman with glasses looking into camera

Chrissy

B-cell follicular lymphoma (FL)

Copilot said: Close-up selfie of an older adult wearing glasses and a navy shirt with an “I Voted” sticker, seated in a car, highlighting everyday resilience and community engagement within the blood cancer community and survivorship journey.

Fred

non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

Heriberto, Burkitt lymphoma (BL) patient, with wife on his wedding day

Heriberto

Burkitt lymphoma (BL)

Steven, a young white male with dark hair and light mustache and beard wearing sunglasses and life vest over white and black shirt standing on a boat

Steven

non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

Photo of a mature woman standing on a savannah feeding a giraffe out of her hand

Lisa

Lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

A group of cyclists wearing matching purple and white “Team in Training” jerseys ride together during a sunny charity event supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, raising awareness for blood cancer.

Joy

peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL)

A person stands on a quiet, snow‑covered woodland path, wearing a dark zip‑up jacket lightly dusted with snowflakes. Bare winter trees surround the trail, creating a still, muted landscape. The cold air and gently falling snow evoke a sense of resilience and reflection—an atmosphere that mirrors the strength often required in a journey with blood cancer.

Tim

non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

A portrait-style image shows an individual with shoulder-length, light-brown hair, wearing a purple textured top against a neutral gray background. The calm, studio-like setting conveys a sense of steadiness and dignity, offering a quiet contrast to the difficult realities of a blood cancer journey. The overall composition evokes strength through simplicity, highlighting a moment of poised stillness amid uncertainty.

Debra

Family member, volunteer, supporter/donor

inspirational-stories-blood-cancer-daniel.jpeg

Daniel

Family member and supporter

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is now Blood Cancer United. Learn more.