Dear Friends & Family, 

This past October I had the pleasure of being nominated as a candidate for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) 2023 Students of the Year Campaign. Students of the Year is a seven-week leadership development program that runs from March 2nd to April 21st to raise money and advocate for LLS.  I am writing today to ask for your support of my campaign and LLS’ mission to find a cure for blood cancers and improve the quality of life for patients.  

I have created a team of committed friends and family to partner with me on this journey. Together, we have set a fundraising goal of $50,000!  All the money that is raised goes directly to the largest blood cancer research program in the nation, LLS, to fund cutting-edge research and treatments. In fact, the treatments that LLS is funding benefit non-blood cancer patients too. More than 40% of new cancer treatment drugs approved by the FDA since 2004 started as blood cancer drugs are now being applied in other forms of cancer.   

Blood cancer has personally affected me and my family by taking the life of my grandmother. She was diagnosed with lymphoma in June of 2016 and was in remission by October of 2016! We were so happy; she was able to attend family barbeques, birthday parties, and holidays again and it felt like everything had fallen back into place. Then, in February of 2020, she was diagnosed with bile duct cancer. She passed away in January of 2021 surrounded by her loved ones. She had so much knowledge to share with everyone, from friends and family, to even the random people in a grocery store! She was so thoughtful and caring and her life has left a lasting impact on me and I am so grateful that I get to do this in her honor. My campaign will provide support to the critical work of LLS in hopes that one day no one will have to grow up without the ones they love.                                                                                    

Thank you from the bottom of my heart in advance for partnering with a campaign so near and dear to me, and please know that every little bit counts. Please make checks payable to “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or LLS” and print “Emma Piedra” in the Memo section or donate on this webpage directly and follow along with my journey. 

Thank You, 

Emma Piedra 
emmacpiedra@gvusd.org.