Hello, friends and family!

      Happy new year! I am starting 2024 by working on a project I am really passionate about—helping kids fight cancer.  I realize that I am so fortunate to be healthy but not all kids are as lucky.  I am co-leading team Hope Squad in our mission to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student Visionaries of the Year campaign in an effort to provide the funding for research and better treatments.  A child being diagnosed with cancer essentially means the whole family fights with them. From now through March 9, local Chicagoland high school students and their teams compete to raise as much money as possible to cure blood cancers (40% of pediatric cancers are blood cancers).

       Last year I joined team Fighting for Families after following a previous candidate's journey in supporting LLS. Through the campaign I learned of the importance of fundraising for childhood cancers and was passionate about getting involved. I discovered how worthwhile a cause supporting families affected by cancer is, supporting research and those affected can make a big impact on their lives. 

         I was touched by all the support and recognition our team created for the cause and so this year, with my co-leader, Kelly Robinson, we have decided to run a campaign: Hope Squad. Our goal is to get out there and create awareness and hope for families affected by cancer.

        Since 1949, LLS has invested $1.5 billion to advance life-saving research.  Aside from research, they provide education and support for families dealing with cancer and ensure that patients have access to treatments.  That’s why I am so proud to be a part of Student Visionaries of the Year.  With your help, we can keep fighting for patients in need.

Visionaries look to the future—and see infinite possibility.
They challenge the status quo—and make the impossible possible.
They boldly imagine a better world – and lead the charge to create it.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was built on that same vision - of a better world - one without blood cancers.

I am a visionary; I have a vision for a world without cancer, but I need your help.

This year, I’m proud to be a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign, working to raise as much as possible for LLS’s mission.

As a global leader in the fight against blood cancer, LLS:

• Funds cutting-edge research leading to breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine that are improving and saving the lives of patients
• Provides 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.
• Mobilizes thousands of advocates to drive policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care.

Please consider joining this fight by making a donation. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. Please visit my website often and tell friends who would also like to donate!

Thanks to your support, my efforts will help ensure this generation is the last to see cancer.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you!

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