The Korea Leukemia Patients Organization has changed its name to the Korea Leukemia and Blood Cancer Patients Organization (KLBPO), effective Nov. 7, 2025.

This measure aims to clarify the organization's scope and identity, representing all blood cancers and not just leukemia.

Although the organization has used the name “leukemia” for the past 23 years, its activities have consistently supported all blood cancer patients and their families, including those with myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Consequently, there have been persistent calls for the existing name not to adequately capture the organization's substantive scope of activities.

In response to this change, the Korea Leukemia Patient Organization applied to the Disease Policy Division of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to change its name as a non-profit private organization. After deliberation, the new name was recently approved.

The new name, ‘Korea Leukemia & Blood Cancer Patient Association (KLBPO),’ highlights the organization's 23-year history. During this time, leukemia and blood cancer patients have supported each other with compassion.

The organization was founded in 2002 as the “Korean Chronic Leukemia Patients Association.” Later that year, it changed its name to the Korean Leukemia Patients Organization. Over the past 23 years, it has pursued diverse activities to improve the treatment environment, including enhancing patient rights, improving access to medications, promoting hematopoietic stem cell donation, and establishing a stable blood transfusion environment.

“With this name change, we aim to amplify the diverse experiences and voices of blood cancer patients and their families in society and policy, and will continue working to improve treatment environments and quality of life,” the KLBPO said.