Dear Prospective Hero,

Have you been touched by cancer and felt helpless in the battle? My name is Chris Gastelum. I am 16 years old, a sophomore at Palos Verdes High School. I know what it’s like to watch someone you love suffer from cancer and feel helpless in their battle. My Dad was the kind of guy that always put others first. Sadly, he would not live to see me reach my 15th birthday. On March 2, 2021, I watched my Dad pass away after a long battle with cancer. Anger and helplessness followed because I could not bring him back to life. 

A few months ago, a high school student was a guest speaker at my church. She shared her experience as a Student Visionary of the Year (SVOY) candidate with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS), and how her team raised thousands of dollars in the fight against childhood blood cancer. As she spoke, I remembered my Dad and the hurt I felt. I asked myself: “Do I want to continue to sit back and be a bystander to cancer? Or do I want to get up and do something that honors my Dad’s legacy and so many others like him?” 

For all of those that have been touched by cancer, I am proudly announcing my own candidacy as a Student Visionary of the Year! I am leading a multigenerational team in a competition from February 21st- April 14th to raise $50,000 in just seven weeks!  We are called: “Together Against Cancer” because no one should face cancer alone. Our team’s mission is one with LLS: Find a CURE for cancer and spread HOPE and SMILES to cancer patients and their families.

Your donation will not only help fund cancer research but help cancer patients access life-saving treatment. Did you know that over 40% of cancer treatment came from LLS funded research, benefiting not only blood cancer patients but those affected by other cancers and diseases as well? My Dad lived many years beyond his life expectancy because he was able to access cutting-edge treatment at the City of Hope. Unfortunately, not all cancer patients are treated equally. That needs to CHANGE! LLS’s network of more than 35,000 heroes advocate for guaranteeing coverage for clinical trials and life-saving treatments without families having to worry about how they will pay to save their loved one’s life. Now, I am offering you the chance to take action today and be a hero for a child touched by cancer, my Dad, or someone you love by putting them first.

All donations are 100% tax deductible. In addition, you can show your support by:

      Attending our Day at the Park Fundraiser on March 4th! RSVP HERE: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/day-at-the-park-campaign-ki 

      Purchasing a t-shirt, designed by my team HERE: https://www.bonfire.com/together-against-cancer/ 

      Sharing this link on social media to spread awareness about the campaign!  HERE: https://events.lls.org/calso/southbay/cgastelum

We are ONE TEAM, with ONE MISSION, to help raise funds for patients and their families. Feel free to use my contact information below to ask me questions.

Let's beat cancer with One Kind Act at a Time! Together we are Stronger than Cancer! Thank you for being a Hero! 

Chris Gastelum

Together Against Cancer: “One Kind Act at A Time”

cgastelum4svoy@gmail.com |424-452-7414 |IG @togetheragainstcancer_