What is Leukemia?
Leukemia, and its similar diseases of lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and myeloma are diseases of the blood-forming organs characterized by the unregulated growth and over production (proliferation) of immature, malignant white cells resulting in a serious reduction in red cells and platelets.

While there is no known cure for these diseases, during the past 35 years, great progress has been made in treating them to where 90% of the children with the most common form of childhood leukemia and 50% of the adults will go into remission with long term survival of 5 years or more.

Research Grant Application 

• Hodgkin’s lymphoma is the most curable of all blood related cancers with approximately 90% of all patients attaining long term survival of 5 years or more. The reduction in total treatment time, in most cases, has been reduced from three years to five months, an incredible accomplishment.

• Myelodysplastic Syndrome known as MDS is a disease of the bone marrow that causes healthy mature cells, white, red and platelets to not be produced in sufficient amounts and can be the pre-cursor to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

• In 2012, there will be an estimated 160,000 newly diagnosed cases of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and myeloma.

• Leukemia and its related cancers of lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and myeloma, affect more adults than children especially those over 45 years of age.

• At the Lea Foundation Center for Hematologic Disorders, a “world class facility” located at UConn Health Center, professional staff members treat patients with blood related cancers and conduct research.

Through the years Lea’s Foundation has supported the following researchers