Dear Friends and Family, 

 

My name is Kate Thomas and I have the opportunity to make a impact on fighting blood cancers right here in Fresno County as nominee for Student of the year for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society representing my school, Clovis West where I'm currently a Junior.   I’d like to share with you all an important endeavor that I have taken on with the support of my team and my High School. The Leukemia & Lymphoma society (LLS) has nominated me as a candidate in their Student Of The Year campaign.  I am joining forces with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to support the mission of helping find a cure for blood cancers. LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. It funds life-saving research around the world, providing free information and support services, ultimately helping blood cancer patients and their families live better and longer lives. My campaign provides an opportunity to support the critical work of the LLS in fighting these diseases.  

 

Throughout my short life I have seen cancer in many forms affect those around me. One never knows who is going to be affected by this indiscriminate disease. I’ve decided to dedicate my campaign to two individuals I hold very close to my heart: Kenneth “Butch” Peters and Kristin Neuman. Butch Is a leukemia survivor and has now been in remission for over 15 years. Butch suffered from Acute Myeloid Leukemia and was given a 5% survival rate for five years. He fought a hard battle and thankfully due to the research done by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society he is able to continue to live a fuller life cancer free, enjoying his children and grandchildren. We are thankful to be able to see Butch’s heartwarming smile to this day as it is a gift that keeps on giving. Kristin found out she had stage 2 breast cancer when she was two months pregnant with her first child (Mason). She had to make a tough decision, to start treatment or to wait till after mason was born. She chose to fight not only for herself but for Mason and endured four rounds of chemo while pregnant.  After she delivered she continued treatment for twelve more rounds. Today she has two beautiful children and is a huge inspiration to me and I hope to be a great mom like her someday.   Both of these inspirational individuals opened my eyes to the harsh reality of cancer and how it can alter the lives of not only themselves but their family and friends.  I hope that through my efforts success stories like these will be shared by others with the devastating diagnosis of cancer. However I cannot do it alone, this is where I need your help. 

 

Understanding that there are differences in how those would like to make my campaign a success, I provide the following options for your consideration: 

 

• For those that prefer a direct mail contribution, donations can be mailed between the dates of Feb.12, 2019 and April 1,2019  Checks should be made payable to: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please don’t forget to put my name Kate Thomas in the memo section such that your contribution can be appropriately recognized.
• If an online contribution is preferred, I have established a website. Log on to https://events.lls.org/cca/soyfresno19/kthomas  to make a donation.
• For those that prefer a personal experience, I will be hosting a number of social events that you can attend and enjoy where I will be able meet you in person and thank you for your contributions. For details please check the menu of events included at the end of my letter.
• If you wish to contribute but are unable to take advantage of the options listed above you can reach me directly at 559-906-6448 or katethomas556@yahoo.com.
• If you or someone you know would like to be a sponsor of my campaign starting at the  $2,500 level or up please contact me at the number or email above.  Sponsorships are wonderful opportunities to get your name or the name of your business in front of many people as well as providing you with seats at our grand finale which is always a fun evening. 

 

 

 

• If you or someone you know can contribute a silent or live auction item for our grand finale I would appreciate the contribution towards the campaign.  Feel free to call or email me with your item and I will gladly pick it up by April 1, 2019.

 

 

 

I am proud to lead my campaign team “Team Thomas” and work towards my goal to raise $50,000 during the next 7 weeks.  During the campaign I will work to increase awareness about the impact of blood cancers and the cutting edge treatments that are currently being researched, as well as inspire others to join the fight to find a cure. I thank you in advance for your time and consideration and hope that you will share my message with others.   Although I am leading this mission let us not forget that OUR efforts will benefit those close to home here in the Fresno area. 

 

 

 

 

Menu of Events:

 

Please join us at the following events and bring this letter with you to show you are supporting Team Thomas.  A  portion of  your purchase at the following events will go directly to the campaign - Take out is also available.  Please remember to mention it is for Team Thomas and take a night off from cooking!

 

Event 1- Tuesday March 12, 2019. 5-9 p.m. The Field House restaurant @ 2042 E Copper Ave Fresno  93720 this event will also include a silent auction. The very generous owner has offered to match funds that evening. Please mention that you are supporting Team Thomas when you order.

 

Event 2-  Monday and Tuesday March 18th  and 19 th 2019. 11 a.m. -8 p.m. The Ark Mediterranean Grill @ 1528 E Champlain Dr Fresno 93720  Proceeds from both Lunch and Dinner both days will go directly towards the campaign.  Please remember to bring this letter with you to indicate you are supporting Team Thomas.

 

Event 3- Saturday March 30th, 2019. 5-9 p.m. Riley’s Brew Pub  @ 2674 Owens Mountain Pkwy Clovis 93511.  Proceeds from the day will go towards campaign.  There will be a silent auction and we will be selling paper blood drops that you can name and display for Team Thomas.   

 

 

These events and other updates will be posted to my website.

 

We all win when cancer loses!

Kate Laurene Thomas 

Team Thomas

2019 Student of the Year Candidate

 

 

 

 

I am honored to participate in the 2019 Students of the Year program, a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the country participate in a fundraising competition to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am proud to be raising critical dollars in honor of a young patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer. Each dollar is a vote. The candidate team that raises the most money at the end of the seven weeks is named Student(s) of the Year. Our mission is to not only raise the most money but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia, which is the most common form of cancer in children and teens.

Since the early 1960s, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. And many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are helping patients with other cancers and serious diseases. In fact, drugs first approved for blood cancers are now approved to treat patients with stomach cancers, skin cancers, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

We really are changing the face of blood cancer!

All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research but will help provide critical information and support for patients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.

Please visit our website often and bring friends who would also like to donate!

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you for your support!

For more information about LLS, please visit www.lls.org.