This year, I was nominated as a co-candidate to participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) “Students of the Year” fundraising campaign. LLS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to find a cure to blood cancers and provide patients with the treatments they need. My close friend and co-candidate, Faith, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 3. Faith became cancer-free at  age 5 and has been cancer-free ever since. Faith was lucky, considering 33% of blood cancer patients do not survive past five years after being diagnosed. Without the care, support, and treatment LLS provided for Faith, she wouldn’t be the healthy teenager she is today. Fourteen friends and I have teamed up to support this worthy cause that saved Faith’s life and continues to do the same for people all over the country. 

During a seven week time period (March 5 - April 27), our team will be in a fundraising competition with high school teams from across the state of Utah. Whichever team raises the most money will be declared “Students of the Year.” All proceeds  will go towards blood cancer research and patient outreach which are factors that helped Faith become cancer-free. 

I participated in this campaign last year as a team member. After hearing so many moving stories of cancer survivors and treatments, it really made me realize that every dollar we raise is going towards saving somebody’s life. This inspired me to take the next step and be the team leader for my final year of joining this campaign.

We will be hosting many local fundraising events, but most importantly, we need YOU! A donation of any amount would be greatly appreciated and will make a difference in somebody’s life. No donation is too big or too little. Every dollar helps! 

Thank you so much for your support towards LLS and my team, it truly means the world to me and everyone battling blood cancers. Let’s find a cure together!