Blake Brandwein was 11 years old when the unthinkable happened. His mother, Penny, suddenly found herself tiring easily. Keeping up with Blake and his brothers became challenging as exhaustion set in. Other telltale signs worried her, which led to visits with multiple doctors and, ultimately, an acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis.

While Blake’s father and grandparents worked hard to give the children some normalcy, losing Penny left a profound and lasting effect on the family.

Sometimes those feelings of loss can push people to try harder. Fight harder. For Blake, it is both. He has been running fundraising events since he graduated from college. Today he leads the Leukemia Research Foundation as the President of its Board of Directors.

“Nothing touches a patient today that did not have its origin somewhere as an experiment,” Brandwein said. “This is why the Leukemia Research Foundation continues to pursue its mission. That is why my family and I have included the Leukemia Research Foundation in our estate plans.”

“Researchers are the backbone to every treatment option available for patients today and in the future,” noted Blake. “They all began with investigative research funded by advocacy groups like the Leukemia Research Foundation. Without this funding, patient remission rates, therapy options, and new approaches to treatments would remain stagnant.”

“Twenty years ago, we lost my mother Penny to acute myeloid leukemia, and I made a promise then to continue her fight and rid the world of this disease,” Brandwein said. “I am honored to continue this fight as the Leukemia Research Foundation Board of Directors President. I look forward to carrying on the legacy of past board presidents, staff, and supporters who have built the Leukemia Research Foundation over the past 75 years. I want to leave a lasting legacy that benefits future generations of researchers to find cures and better treatments that ultimately benefits patients and families.”