I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to help the 823,349 Americans who are living with blood cancers. Each year the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, National Capitol Chapter, launches its Man & Woman of the Year fundraising campaign.

Team United is comprised of both Accenture employees working across the D.C. metropolitan area as well as friends and family in both D.C. and Georgia. The common denominator is that every one feels passionate about this cause and finding a cure for blood cancers. Several team members have lost family or currently have family members battling leukemia. The team is also united in support of a recent Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor who is part of our Accenture family. Ken Dineen was diagnosed in January 2004 and, after a tough 25-week treatment process, is now in remission. Although still receiving quarterly check ups, Ken, to date, has been fortunate enough to beat the disease. He now gives back through his personal work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Every five minutes, someone new is diagnosed with Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease, or Myeloma, adding approximately another 135,520 Americans this year. Sadly, every ten minutes, someone dies. Unfortunately, too many of these deaths are children. Because Leukemia is one of the leading disease killers of children in the United States, each year the National Capitol Area chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society selects a boy and girl to honor. This year seven-year-old Hannah McNeal (2008 “Girl of the Year”) and eight-year-old Hunter Ruderman (2008 “Boy of the Year”) are the two brave young survivors who represent the huge population of children struggling with this disease.

With the help of charitable contributions from people like you, survival rates are increasing. Society-funded research has produced new treatments to enhance and prolong lives. The five-year survival rate for patients with leukemia has more than tripled in the past 46 years!

I ask that you join me by making a contribution to my fundraising campaign. Each dollar I raise counts as one vote and the candidate who gets the most donations is named our local Man or Woman of the Year. Your tax deductible donation of $25.00 or greater will go directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in support of its longstanding mission to find a cure for blood cancers and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Many thanks for your support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Be sure to visit my Web site often to check on my progress and please ask your friends to support my efforts.