Welcome To My Students of the Year Fundraising Page!

Please join me in supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) by making a donation to my Students of the Year fundraising campaign. Thanks to your support, my efforts will help fund the therapies and treatments and help save lives today.

My family's cancer story began when I was two years old. My mom became very ill, and the doctors had a difficult time finding a diagnosis. Her symptoms were much like those of appendicitis; however, her sickness would be more than a ruptured appendix. In April of 2002, she was diagnosed with an extremely rare cancer called Adenocarcinoma of the appendix. Approximately 600 to 1,000 Americans are diagnosed with it each year. Because this cancer is so rare, there is very little research that has been done and treatment options are minimal. Her odds did not look promising as she was given a 2% chance of living more than five years. This wasn't going to stop her from fighting though!

There were many hospital visits, most of which turned into hospital stays. Her calender filled up with doctor's appointments, yet she continued to not let her illness keep her from doing the best she could to provide a normal home and family life for me as a young child. We traveled to New York City and Washington, D.C., where she underwent surgeries and treatment by the best doctors in the country. She fought a long and hard battle, but was granted with eternal healing in Heaven on November 18th, 2007, after beating the odds by six months.

My mom was sick for a majority of the seven years I had with her. She experienced unimaginable pain, and as I learn more about her and her illness, I can't help but to feel proud to honor her with this campaign. I am running for the 2018 Student of the Year because I am passionate about ensuring that one day, no person will ever have to go through cancer, no matter what kind. She has inspired me to not only continue to fight for her, but to fight also for every cancer affected patient and family. My mom's story has not only given me a purpose in life but also an indescribable passion and determination to help other families. No person should have to hear the words that they have cancer, whether it be blood, breast, skin or any kind of cancer. As a first hand witness, no person should ever have to watch someone battle cancer either.

With the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, we can make someday today. You and I have the opportunity to change the lives of patients and their families. Blood cancer research is paving the way for treatments for other cancer. In fact, 40% of FDA approved cancer treatments started as blood cancer treatments, most of which were funded by the LLS. These treatments are now being used to treat other cancers. Some are even being tested in clinical trials for patients with a range of cancers including lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. LLS funded drugs are also being tested for patients with other non-cancerous diseases like Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis.