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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.
Lisa and a man standing in a football stadium holding white, yellow and red Light The Night lanterns

Lisa

Lymphoma survivor

James, volunteer and survivor, pictured with group of friends

James

Volunteer and survivor

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Lynette

Volunteer

Headshot of Todd wearing suit and tie, a cancer survivor

Todd

Volunteer

A blood cancer patient stands with friends at an outdoor Blood Cancer United event, wearing colorful leis and holding heart-shaped signs while posing together in front of a branded backdrop, creating a celebratory and supportive atmosphere.

Carlos

non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

Portrait of a blood cancer survivor wearing glasses and a checkered button-down shirt while seated indoors against a neutral background. The image highlights resilience, advocacy, and the experiences of individuals living with or recovering from blood cancer.

Robert

non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

Family visiting a loved one during blood cancer treatment in a hospital room. A patient rests in a hospital bed surrounded by family members wearing protective masks, with medical equipment visible nearby. This powerful image highlights the impact of blood cancer on families, the importance of caregiver support, and the realities of leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancer treatments during hospitalization.

Brandon

Family member and supporter

Alec standing in front of LightThe Night signage in a park at a Light The Night event. Alec is wearing a blue shirt with the words, "Survivor, Light The Night" printed on it and holding a white Light The Night survivor lantern.

Alec

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL)

Headshot of Nastasha, shoulder length straight blonde hair, in a red jacket and smiling

Natasha

primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL)

Snapshot of Tricia with her family, a cancer survivor

Tricia

Staff

Side-by-side portraits showing a blood cancer survivor and Team In Training participant in 2012 and 2022. In the first image, the individual wears a Team In Training shirt and points to the program logo. In the second image, the same individual stands wearing multiple race medals earned through endurance fundraising events. The photo illustrates a decade of resilience, survivorship, and advocacy in the blood cancer community, highlighting the impact of fundraising, patient support, and blood cancer research.

Max

non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

Black-and-white close-up portrait of a family gathered together at home, with a young child in the center and two adults nearby. The image highlights the importance of family support, connection, and resilience during a blood cancer diagnosis, reflecting the experiences of patients, caregivers, and loved ones navigating blood cancer treatment and survivorship together.

Maria

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)

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