Hello! My name is Avery Gerdes; I am a senior at Sycamore High School. I am a candidate in this year's Student Visionaries of the Year campaign and am leading a group of wonderful visionaries!

This campaign is dear to my heart because when I was three years old, I was diagnosed with leukemia. I battled for four years before I was deemed cancer-free! To which I am now ten years cancer-free! My family went through many hardships, many long nights, and so much worry along my journey. Much of which I did not realize because of my young age during my treatment.

Although my treatment with chemotherapy is complete and I am in remission, my journey is not over.  Each year, I go back for my S.T.A.R. appointment. At this appointment, the doctors look at my blood work to make sure all my numbers are in a good range and that my body is in good health. Our team's goal is to give everyone with cancer these same opportunities and to be able to enter into remission to have those S.T.A.R. appointments (or the equivalent). Outshining Cancer is our mantra throughout the campaign because we want patients to outshine the darkness that cancer creates, just as stars in the sky outshine the darkness of night.

Going through treatment at such a young age, I was unaware of how many people impacted my life, especially at LLS. This campaign is a way to make sure others don’t have to go through all the hardships my family and I went through, but also to give back to those who have given so much to help me! Help my team and I raise money for this amazing mission while also advocating for awareness!

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.