Freebie Friday: Meet Stacey Russell

Deputy Executive Director Stacey Russell
with Executive Director Patricia Thomson.

Just yesterday at the Saint Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show, I was again amazed by the number of people that are touched by blood cancers. The event honored a young boy who generously and without question, donated his bone marrow to his younger brother, now a survivor of leukemia. A committee member spoke about her battle with lymphoma; another was there in honor of her brother who is battling leukemia as we speak. It is stories like those that I hear at the various events and programs that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) hosts each year to help raise funds and awareness that keeps me motivated to do what I get the privilege of doing every day.

I was lucky enough ten years ago to stumble upon a job opening at LLS and it has definitely changed my life, for the better. Some things have changed ten years later, like the amazing advancements that have been made in treatments, some of the events that take place and some of the people that are no longer here as they lost their battle. Some things have stayed the same… like the generosity of people. Each day, there is a scientist hard at work trying to find the link to a cure due to the generosity of people in the community giving of their time, donating to someone doing a marathon through Team in Training or climbing stairs at the Big D Climb, becoming a corporate sponsor for the Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament or coming to the Lone Star Blood Cancer Conference as a caregiver wanting to learn more about how they can help their loved one through their cancer journey.

We all have days where we think what else could go wrong? Its raining and I have a flat tire or whatever the case may be. It seems disastrous then, but in the grand scheme of things, I am healthy, my husband, my kids, my family and friends are healthy, and that is what is important. However, there are so many people here in North Texas, across the US and the world that are not as fortunate. Instead, they are fighting for their lives or their loved one is. This is why getting involved with LLS in whatever way you can is so important, especially now. We are in the business of saving lives, literally, and invite you to be a part of that too. Someday Is Today!