Available for Comment on the Decline in Charitable Giving Significant Drop in Donations to Healthcare Groups Could Have Grave Impact On Patients and Research Initiatives WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Times today reports that charitable giving to health organizations has declined more than 20 percent, according to a Chronicle of Philanthropy survey. "This is a deeply disturbing fact since not-for-profits play a critical role in health education, patient services and research not played by anyone else. The bottom line: the decline in revenue harms patients and their families," said Dwayne Howell, President and CEO of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy as a thriving health organization bucking this trend. In fact, the Society's leader, Howell, turned the organization around from the brink of bankruptcy to the leader in blood cancer research and patient services, with 62 chapters across the U.S. that provide grassroots services where they are needed most: in the community. Last year, the Society provided $40.1 million for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma research and made more than 445,000 patient contacts. Dwayne Howell is available for interviews and will put the Chronicle findings -- and what they mean to patients -- in context, speaking as the leader of a thriving health organization who firsthand turned around the organization from financial crisis to big success. To quote the Chronicle: "The story behind the turnaround is one of marathons, millionaires, schoolchildren, and even a soap opera." CONTACT Jon Garbo 1-914-821-8969 DATASOURCE: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society CONTACT: Jon Garbo of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, +1-914-821-8969 Web site: http://www.lls.org/

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