The Rye Brook-based Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has received a $17 million commitment from the Mike and Sofia Segal Family Foundation to advance the treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), a rare type of blood cancer.
The commitment marks the largest outright gift from an individual donor that LLS has received. CMML impacts approximately 1,100 people in the U.S. each year and, in most cases, cannot be cured. The existing chemotherapies for CMML typically provide only partial responses for a limited duration – and the only curative option is a stem cell transplant, but it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The average life expectancy after initial diagnosis ranges from a few months to a few years, depending on various risk factors, and CMML can progress to acute myeloid leukemia in approximately 15% of patients over three to five years.
The Segals made this donation based on the experience of a family member with CMML and the dearth of funding for related research.
“Blood cancers are diverse – there are more than 100 types of blood cancer with varied treatment options – so there isn’t a ‘one size fits all approach,'” said Dr. E. Anders Kolb, LLS president and CEO. “At LLS, we strive to build a future where blood cancer patients can have longer, better lives.”
