A recent retail clothing sale brought bliss to one local charity. Lexington's local luxury children's clothing brand Bella Bliss held its second annual charity warehouse sale earlier this month in its downtown store at 211 North Limestone. For the second year, Bella Bliss donated 10 percent of the net proceeds from the sale to the local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). The sale raised $5,500 which is $1,500 more than the $4,000 raised last year.

LLS was founded in 1949 as the Robert Roesler de Villiers Foundation by a well-to-do New York family whose 16-year-old son died of leukemia. Frustrated by the lack of effective treatments for what was then considered a hopeless disease, Robert's parents created the foundation to raise money and educate the public about leukemia and other blood cancers. The foundation's work grew, new chapters formed, and its name changed to the Leukemia Society of America in the 1960s.

Today, the organization is known as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to reflect its commitment to curing all blood cancers. LLS is the leading private funder of blood cancer research and provides programs for patients and their families. Lexington's LLS chapter opened in January 2005. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Although the survival rate for leukemia has more than tripled since the 1960s, it remains the leading disease killer in children under the age of 20. An estimated 747,465 Americans of all ages are living with blood cancers. According to LLS, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer every five minutes. In Kentucky, 4,200 people are living with a blood cancer. Of those, approximately 1,000 are children.

Bella Bliss owners Lisa McLean and Kelley Farish think it is important to raise money for a disease that has such a significant impact on children and their families. Bella Bliss manager of sales and public relations Sarah Havens noted, "LLS has a great reputation of working with patients and offering support for families." The Bella Bliss family knows this first hand because a co-worker is currently battling leukemia.

The money raised by the warehouse sale will be presented to LLS during its Light the Night Walk fundraiser on September 13 at 6 p.m. at Courthouse Plaza in downtown Lexington. The annual walk attracts more than 1,000 participants and features teams walking with red or white illuminated balloons to show their support or survival of a blood cancer. Last year's walk raised $117,000.

LLS fundraising campaign coordinator Megan Reilly works with businesses, including Bella Bliss, to properly recognize their donation and sponsorship of the fundraising events throughout the year. Of the money raised, 75 cents of every dollar funds research to find a cure. "There are over 160 certified researchers across the country searching for a cure," Reilly said. The money raised for LLS is given to researchers in the form of grants. Reilly also notes that a percentage of the money stays in the community for patient aid, support groups, educational programs and other needs. "We provide resources for patients to better understand their disease and to learn how to cope," Reilly added.

Individuals also help raise money for the organization. LLS recently recognized its 2008 Bluegrass Man & Woman of the Year. The Bluegrass Man & Woman of the Year Campaign is part of a national campaign of highly motivated philanthropic individuals around the country who raise money in their local communities and compete for this prestigious title every year. Monica Cox, a patient care manager at UK's Markey Cancer Center, was named Bluegrass Woman of the Year. Cox raised funds in honor of the 2008 Boy of the Year, 12-year-old Will Oldham from Lexington, who is battling acute lymphocytic lymphoma. The Bluegrass Man of the Year is former Pittsburgh Steelers star Dermontti Dawson. Dawson raised funds in honor of Melody Howell, a six-year-old from Lancaster, Ky., who is battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The 2008 Bluegrass Man & Woman of the Year campaign brought in a grand total of $70,000.

With successful events like the Bella Bliss warehouse sale, the Light the Night Walk, and the Bluegrass Man & Woman of the Year campaign, LLS continues to raise valuable research dollars in the hope of finding a cure for leukemia and other blood cancers while improving the quality of life for patients and their families. For the staff and owners of Bella Bliss, giving back to a cause that will cure the leading cause of cancer death in children is a worthwhile endeavor indeed.

when: Summer, 2008