Dear Friends and Family,

I am extremely grateful and excited to announce that I will be a part of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) “Students of the Year” campaign! From January 25th - March 13th high school students in Northern Ohio will engage their community in raising funds for LLS in order to support and fight for patients with blood cancer. Our team is passionate and determined, and believes that with the support of our community, we can reach our goal of $100,000!

The mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life for patients and their families. LLS has invested $1.3 billion into research since 1949 and since then survival rates for blood cancer have quadrupled. This research is even leading to treatment advances for other cancers. Despite these advances, blood cancer is still devastating to the thousands of patients diagnosed each year. More than 33% of blood cancer patients do not survive more than 5 years after diagnosis.

Most of us have been personally and deeply affected by cancer at some point in our lives. Whether it’s you who fought or is fighting, or you watched a family member or friend fight, cancer is devastating. The most difficult part of watching someone you love fight for their life is feeling powerless while watching them suffer during treatment. In our community cancer has left its mark. One of my classmates, Jane Finley, was diagnosed with lymphoma in eighth grade, beat it after going through excruciating treatment, relapsed, and beat it again. Another of my classmates, Claire Blevins, was diagnosed with leukemia in 10th grade just days after her 16th birthday, endured sickening months of chemotherapy, and beat it too. My middle school cross country coach and close family friend, Theresa, was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2018 and endured 6 months of aggressive chemo to beat it. My mom was diagnosed with melanoma in 2016 with a relapse in 2018, and beat it after an invasive and permanently-altering facial surgery. I saw my childhood choir director fight for more than 2 years and then die of a rare type of blood cancer. I watched my grandma, the most selfless woman I’ve ever met, go through unbearable treatment for esophageal cancer and pass away when I was 15. Cancer takes away too much. I hold on to the possibility of a world without blood cancer so that no one will ever have to lose a fight like this. I believe that with the support of our community, we will make a lasting impact. I invite you to join me and Team Unite to Fight, to stand up to cancer. 

As a community of fighters, supporters, and advocates, I truly believe we will make a lasting impact. For more information, please feel free to contact me at avaransom@gmail.com or 440-668-7454. Let’s make a difference together.

Sincerely,

Ava Ransom and Team Unite to Fight