LLS Celebrates 30th Annual Leukemia Ball
In her work as an operational consultant with Alegria Specialty Pharmacy in Melville, New York, Ellen Scharaga helps the company develop innovative drug treatments for major diseases, including HIV, hepatitis C, and multiple sclerosis. Apart from her professional life, Ellen Scharaga is committed to supporting numerous organizations that fight against chronic illness, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Over the past three decades, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) yearly Leukemia Ball has been one of the organization’s most successful fundraisers. A high-profile event, this year’s fundraiser was held in Washington, D.C., and brought in $4.1 million in donations from both corporate and private contributors. This number adds to the some $1 billion LLS has been able to raise through various means in its history. One of the key elements of this year’s ball was the attention given to the Beat AML (acute myeloid leukemia) Master Trial, an initiative to study the underlying genetic indicators of these cancers in the hope that patients can matched with the specific therapies that have the best chance of benefiting them. The study’s principal investigator, Brian Druker, M.D., has been a supporter of LLS efforts for more than two decades.
