Hello!

My name is Christine Xie, and I am running with my co-candidate William Corry in the Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the leading nonprofit in the world supporting blood cancers. Our mission is to support cancer patients and their families, who are fighting for their lives and their loved one's lives, through financial means and patient support and education. With the funds we raise, we hope to not only relieve patients' families from the financial burdens that rest heavily on their shoulders but to also help patients by creating a positive and supportive community to give them hope, strength, and encouragement during their fight for a brighter future of being cancer free.

Our team, TEAM FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE, has set a goal to raise $150,000 in the period of seven weeks (January 21-April 14). I am running in honor of Stephen Kroger, William Corry, and Daniel Dreiling.

In 2017, Stephen was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes, a type of pre-leukemia cancer. I met Stephen's mom Dorsey, a ninety-year-old woman, through church and started to write letters to her during the pandemic. To get Stephen the blood transfusions and weekly checkups he needed, Dorsey drove over an hour at least two times a week to Cedars Sinai, which was very hard on her. She did everything she possibly could to support Stephen, even when he got pneumonia and when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Because the blood transfusions were temporary fixes, Stephen needed a stem cell transplant to get better, which he got in May of last year. Ever since, he has been recovering and is now in remission. However, he is still struggling and suffering from low blood pressure problems and cannot walk stably.

Similarly, having been friends with Will since the sixth grade, I was completely shocked and devastated when I heard Will was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in the middle of freshman year. While playing soccer, his legs felt like lead after two or three steps, and he knew something was wrong. After getting blood work done immediately and seeing that his white blood cell count was at a staggering 114k compared to 5-11k and his hemoglobin was a low 4k compared to the normal 13-16k, Will and his family rushed to Long Beach Miller Children's Hospital, and Will started chemotherapy two days after arrival. In total, he received two cycles of chemotherapy before a man across the world with similar DNA could give him a bone marrow transplant, saving Will's life. However, even after receiving this crucial donation, Will had a tough battle ahead of him, without being able to leave his hospital room and even seeing family members at times in the midst of the pandemic. Because of family, friends, nurses, and other support like LLS, Will was able to stay strong and is fully healthy now and playing soccer.

Daniel is a middle school student and friend of ours. He was living life as a normal middle school student, playing baseball and hanging out with friends. Out of the blue, he was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in February 2022. Through his battle against cancer, he has faced many complications, including going into septic shock, but he has bounced back from each one with determination. Daniel’s courage is remarkable, and he is an inspiration to all of us. He has received a lot of chemotherapy to get rid of the cancer, but unfortunately still needs to receive another 2 years of chemo. Daniel reminds us of the many patients that are still battling cancer and fighting for their lives.

These stories strongly show that anyone can be affected by cancer, and patient support is crucial for both cancer patients and their families. WE NEED YOUR HELP. As the leading blood cancer nonprofit, LLS offers the unique opportunity to help by:

• Funding cutting-edge research leading to breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine that are improving and saving the lives of patients
• Providing free education and support for blood cancer patients and families, including personalized, one-on-one support, assistance with identifying and enrolling in clinical trials, and more.
• Mobilizing thousands of advocates to drive policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care.

We would greatly appreciate a donation in any amount to support Team for a Brighter Future. If you would like further information about our cause, we would be happy to schedule a meeting.

Striving for a brighter future,

Christine Xie

Team for a Brighter Future

310.918.8211

christinexie.17@gmail.com