Welcome to my fundraising page! My name is Vivian Chan, and I am a sophomore at Palos Verdes High School (PVHS). I am very excited to announce that I am running as a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) 2021 Students of the Year (SOY) Campaign! I am leading Team ILLUMINATE with my co-candidate, Naomi Kao, to work towards a cancer-free world.

Unfortunately, cancer has affected our PVHS Sea King Family, as well as the entire South Bay community. Our PVHS basketball coach, Brian Edelman, is currently battling bravely against stage 4 colon cancer at the age of 33. He describes coaching a crucial game after undergoing chemotherapy the day before. Despite feeling weak and fatigued from the side effects of chemotherapy, he felt it was his duty to coach his players. After the team won a very close game, Coach Brian said, "I was physically and emotionally spent. But it was all very worth it. I wanted to be there for the team and I was."

Our school's associate principal, Dr. Keely Hafer, is one of the most enthusiastic staff members I know at PVHS and a survivor of leukemia. During her difficult treatment course, she was motivated by the thought of returning to her beloved PVHS students, and refused to let cancer dictate what she could or could not do. Mr. Pat O'Brien, the boys' water polo coach and one of my teachers this year at PVHS, is a survivor of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and an inspiration to us on a daily basis. What I have learned from him is to tackle each day with a smile and a positive attitude.

Mr. Pat Fresch, husband of Cathy Fresch (PVHS PTSA Executive Board) and dad to Alexandra (class of 2017) and Morgan (class of 2021), was diagnosed with Hodgkins when he was 18 while playing football at ASU. He is a PVHS alumni and a PVHS softball & football coach. Mrs. Melody Lomboy-Lowe is the PTSA Social Media chair and a survivor of leukemia during a time when survival rates were very low.  

I am greatly inspired by these five amazing people, as well as all members of our community courageously battling cancer today. I am proud to support and honor them through this campaign!

The grief that cancer causes has surrounded me since childhood. I have memories of feeling helpless and scared when informed that a loved one was diagnosed. My grandmother is a long term survivor of lung cancer, and I have lost several uncles, my great grandmother, and other close relatives to cancer. I have witnessed the emotional toll of cancer on patients and their families. With our LLS campaign, I hope that I can provide hope and contribute to the mission of curing these terrible diseases. This is an effort that I feel passionately about, and I cannot wait for you to join me on this important mission.

From January 14 to March 6, 2021, Team ILLUMINATE will be working towards our goal of raising as much as possible to benefit LLS, whose mission is to cure diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS has contributed over $1.2 billion into cancer research since 1949. Over the last decade, over 40% of cancer treatments and drugs have resulted from LLS-funded research, which not only benefit blood cancer patients but also those affected by other types of cancers and diseases. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my fundraising page and for all of your support! WE NEED YOUR HELP! Every donation counts, no matter how big or small! Be a part of curing cancer, and help us ILLUMINATE the world for cancer patients!

*All donations are tax-deductible (LLS Tax ID #13-5644916).

*Besides donating here, you can also write a check out to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team Illuminate (Vivian) in the memo line and mail it to us at: 46-E Peninsula Center #405, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

To my anonymous donors, thank you so much for your generosity and support!  Sorry I can't thank you personally becuase I don't know who you are!