Supporting Those with Blood Cancers

The theme of Integrated Project Management Company’s latest philanthropic activities was a personal one. Director Stacy Townsend, who works out of the San Francisco office, witnessed up close the beneficial work of blood cancer organizations. Her mother suffered from a rare blood cancer that transformed into acute myeloid leukemia. Without timely support from the medical community and a perfect bone-marrow match, she would not be thriving today.

“The journey highlighted the critical need for organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which provide invaluable support, research, and hope to families like mine,” Townsend says. “By supporting this cause, we can help fund research for better treatments, support patients and their families, and work towards a future where blood cancers are a thing of the past.”

The San Francisco volunteers sponsored and staffed a booth at a local Lunar New Year Festival for a donor registration drive on behalf of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). The nonprofit organization’s goal is to find cures for patients with blood cancers and disorders. The IPMers educated festivalgoers about the need for and benefits of donating blood stem cells or bone marrow. And they recruited 13 people who submitted DNA swabs for possible matches with leukemia patients in NMPD’s database.

Delivering a Dose of Relief

In Boston, a group of IPM volunteers packed 60 Happy Hope Cancer Bags for children with leukemia and lymphoma at Boston Children’s Hospital. The bags included art supplies, games, and other activities to keep kids engaged and take their minds off their treatment or illness. The nonprofit Happy Hope Foundation delivers a variety of activity bags to children facing medical issues or safety crises.

Similarly, IPM staff in Minneapolis packed Comfort Bags for the Lymphoma Research Foundation, whose mission is to eradicate lymphoma and serve those touched by the disease. They filled 50 bags with items such as blankets, socks, water bottles, and activity booklets, as well as hand-written notes. The gift bags—along with $600 worth of gift cards for gas stations, car services, grocery stores, and pharmacies—were distributed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Walking for a Cure

Groups of volunteers from the other IPM offices participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) nationwide Light the Night events. IPMers in St. Louis took part in the event at Forest Park’s cricket field, where they walked with brightly lit lanterns. The Chicago team gathered at Soldier Field, and the Los Angeles team at Centerpiece Park at Century Plaza Towers. And a group from the New Jersey office joined the event at Manhattan’s South Street Seaport, where they were treated to a laser show after the walk.

Light the Night is a series of 140 events meant to offer hope and connection, as well as to raise awareness and funds for research and support. The LLS mission is to cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

IPM employees lead and participate in quarterly philanthropy efforts through our Integrated Project Mercy program. Visit our careers page to learn more about joining the IPM family.