The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) originated from the grief of the de Villiers family, who lost their son Robbie to leukemia in 1944. Frustrated by the lack of treatments, Robbie’s parents, Rudolph and Antoinette, established the Robert Roesler de Villiers Foundation in 1949. Initially modest, the Foundation aimed to address the grim prognosis of leukemia, even stating its 100% fatality in 1955. Despite these challenges, the de Villiers’ unwavering belief in a cure fueled the Foundation’s growth. By the 1960s, it expanded nationally as The Leukemia Society of America, reflecting its broader reach.
