Lucia, leukemia survivor
Where Love Meets Hope.
Lucia, leukemia survivor
Lucia’s Story
Soon after turning four, Lucia was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). She went through an intense treatment regimen, including months-long hospital stays, and received chemotherapy nearly every day. After nine months, her cancer went into complete remission. Along the way, her family turned to LLS for support. “When she received a blanket from Subaru and LLS, she was so excited and wanted to use it right away,” says Lucia’s mom, Rachel. “It gives her comfort and makes her feel better—just like how LLS has provided us support over the years.”
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Subaru knows support makes all the difference for blood cancer patients and their families. LLS offers a wide array of free resources that can help, from podcasts and online chats to caregiver support, financial assistance, and so much more. Together, LLS and Subaru are dedicated to making a world without blood cancers.
Since 2016, Subaru and its retailers nationwide have donated over 167,000 warm blankets to patients fighting blood cancers, delivering hope along with information on trusted support from LLS. Across the country, Subaru retailers support cancer patients in their local communities.
To let patients and families know we care, Subaru customers write messages of hope in-store that accompany the blankets and brighten patients’ lives.
Inspiring stories
JJ
At four years old, JJ was sent to the emergency room when his pediatrician noticed an abnormality in his blood work. After several tests and even a misdiagnosis, his family received unimaginable news: JJ had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Today, JJ is a childhood cancer survivor. After countless days in the hospital fighting for his life, he hasn’t let cancer stop him from shining light on others. “He is such a sweet boy, and we are in awe of his courage as he reaches each milestone. The strength he shows at his young age is incredible,” says JJ’s mom Ashley. His family found hope and support from the LLS community.
Nikolas
Nik has spent the past four years in cancer treatment. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 10, Nik was confined to a hospital bed for months, where he dealt with infections and side effects from the strong medications he was on. Throughout his cancer experience, LLS helped Nik connect with other patients and families, and provided support to his family through the Susan Lang Pay-It-Forward Patient Travel Assistance program. “I have met so many amazing cancer warriors over the years. I am proud to be part of the LLS family,” he says.
Subaru Hunt Valley, Maryland
AutoNation Subaru Hunt Valley is dedicated to supporting the fight against blood cancers, raising more than $57,000 for LLS since 2018 alone. In April 2019, the retailer presented LLS’s Mid-Atlantic Region with a check for nearly $30,000 from the Subaru Share the Love® Event to support our mission. During a special presentation at its showroom in Cockeysville, representatives from LLS and AutoNation Subaru honored employees touched by cancer and Maurice Smith, a local high school student and two-time cancer survivor. Maurice was LLS’s Baltimore Light The Night Honored Hero in 2018, and loves basketball and fishing. The retailer surprised him with a portable soft cooler to take on all his deep-sea fishing and basketball adventures.
Williams Subaru, North Carolina
For the past four years, Williams Subaru and LLS’s North Carolina–Virginia Region have been making a difference in the lives of cancer patients and families. Local lymphoma survivor Ally Davis loves partnering with Williams Subaru to help others. In 2019, Ally took part in LLS’s Students of the Year campaign, leading fundraising efforts from her hospital bed after a lifesaving bone marrow transplant. The Williams Subaru team proudly rallied behind Ally, from holding a test drive benefit to attending the Students of the Year Grand Finale celebration in her honor. The retailer also supported LLS’s Light The Night event in 2020, bringing us closer to a world without blood cancers.
*Group photos taken prior to COVID-19