Anthony Speelman of UFCW Local 1500 Named Corporate Chair for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk

Urges Local Businesses Take the First Step – We Walk to Save Lives

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WESTBURY, NY (04/08/2016)(readMedia)-- The Long Island Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has announced Anthony Speelman, Secretary-Treasurer of New York's Largest Grocery Workers Union, UFCW Local 1500, as corporate chair of its 2016 Light The Night® Walk, LLS's annual fundraising event held each fall to find cures and provide access to treatments for blood cancer patients.

The Light The Night Walk, presented by All Round Foods, is a fundraising campaign benefiting LLS and their funding of research to find blood cancer cures. Coming together for a common goal, friends, family and co-workers form fundraising walk teams. Millions of consumers also help by donating at retail outlets. Culminating in inspiration and memorable evening walks every fall, participants in nearly 200 communities across North America join together carrying illuminated lanterns to take steps to end cancer – white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer.

"Supporting Light The Night is a great way to build team spirit among employees and raise critical funds for blood cancer research," said Speelman. ""I am honored to serve as the chair and look forward to working with local unions, community groups, businesses and corporations in supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by participating in Light The Night."

This year, the Walk will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Eisenhower Park.

"When a loved one hears the words "you have cancer," it is a dark and scary time," said Sara Lipsky, Executive Director. "LLS's Light The Night Walk brings light to the darkness of cancer through hope, research and support for patients, families, friends, doctors, nurses, researchers, colleagues and care givers."

LLS is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to finding cures for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood cancers. Through its efforts it has invested more than $1 billion in cutting-edge research to advance therapies. Thanks to research, survival rates for patients with many blood cancers have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled since the early 1960s. Yet, despite these advances, about one third of patients with blood cancer still do not survive even five years after their diagnosis.

To become part of the Light The Night family, contact the Long Island Chapter at Chapter Phone #, or www.lightthenight.org/li.

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About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

The Long Island Chapter serves Nassau & Suffolk Counties and is located in Hauppauge, NY.

About UFCW Local 1500

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, based out of Westbury, New York, represents over 20,000 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500: @ufcw1500, and at www.ufcw1500.org.