Dear Friends and Family,

My name is Francesca Beccari, and I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to help raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) in their Student of the Year Campaign. This is a life-changing seven week fundraising campaign which runs from February 5 to March 27. My goal is to support LLS in their goal to find cures for blood cancers and provide assistance for the financial burdens they suffer from. 

As soon as I heard about this campaign, I immediately felt obliged to participate as I have always felt drawn to helping children. Throughout my life I have known many people with all different types of cancer, but the one that hit me the hardest was my grandmother. She is a survivor of brain cancer, and I saw firsthand the effects of chemo and surgeries had on her. When people suffer from this horrific disease, it not only deteriorates their physical health, but their mental health as well. There are so many sick children in the hospital unable to play sports, eat their favorite food, or even go outside. 

Every year, each chapter chooses a local Girl and Boy of the Year, GG Gurrero, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (age 11), and JJ Motton, also diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (age 6). They are this year’s honored heroes that inspire us to help raise money so that our combined time and efforts will help them, and thousands of others, in the fight against blood cancers.

The services that The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offers include: Research funding, patient services, public health education, and advocacy. LLS provides a range of support services such as family support groups, peer-to-peer support groups, educational programs for newly diagnosed patients and their families, and direct patient financial aid and co-pay aid. There has been remarkable progress in producing consistently new medications and treatments for people with blood cancers. In the last two years alone 46 of the 53 new drugs approved by the FDA for blood cancers were funded by LLS. Last year alone, in central California, there was $137 million invested in the national association. 

I am asking for your help in reaching my goal of raising $50,000 in my campaign. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation! To donate online, please visit my fundraising page through this link: https://events.lls.org/cca/bfdsoy20/fbeccari. If you donate online, you will receive confirmation of your donation by email and I will be notified as soon as you place your donation. If you would prefer to donate by mail, please make your check payable to: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and put “Francesca Beccari” in the memo section. Checks can be mailed to: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 1800 30^th Street Fourth Floor Bakersfield CA 93301. The deadline for receiving contributions via mail is March 26^th or online is March 27^th.

Please feel free to share this message and link with your friends and family, as many people have a connection to cancer and might be moved to contribute to this great cause. Thank you very much for your time and for supporting me in this endeavor to help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Sincerely,

Francesca Beccari