Student Visionaries of the Year Chicago

The Lymphomaniacs | Lymphomaniacs

Team's Student Visionaries of the Year Fundraiser

Jan 20, 2024

Welcome to Arwa and Maheen's fundraising page! If you've made it here you've been given a chance to make a difference in so many people's lives. Did you know that every 3 minutes, one person is diagnosed with blood cancer in the United States and one-third of these people don't survive five years after their diagnosis? And, more than 1.3 million are living with or in remission from Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma. With your donation, LLS will be able to find cures, ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families! 

What else does LLS do?

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.

 

Personal stories

Arwa: 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. Cancer has always been around the corner in my family and extended circle. When my mom was eleven, my grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer in Pakistan. Her struggles were unmatched, and the pain was something I couldn't picture or feel in my protected life. Not only did my grandmother struggle, but my mom was forced to grow up sooner than she should've. She had to learn to manage an entire household in the wake of her mother's absence. Then, Nani, my grandmother, was diagnosed again, and this time, I was eleven. 

I vividly remember talking to my mom in the school bathroom, shaking with sobs. Cancer meant death in my little mind. Cancer meant all was lost. Cancer meant pain. My grandma recovered, but the shock of her cancer never truly left me. And more recently, one of my most beloved mentors found out she has blood cancer. Her life has been a struggle of one thing after the other, but I've never seen a woman with a more soulful smile than her. She suffered from oral cancer almost 20 years ago and now comes to work every day with a smile so big, you can't tell she's battling the monster of cancer. 

Maheen: 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. Cancer has been in my family, my mom's side specifically, for generations. My great-grandmother passed away from breast cancer when my grandmother was still in college. I never met her. All the women in my family are now at risk of having breast cancer. Periodically they go for tests and they have all come back negative, thank God. But knowing your family could potentially be affected by cancer is terrifying. Getting tested is even more nerve-wracking.

Sometimes I ponder about those fighting cancer who are less fortunate. What about those who can't afford treatment? What about those who don't have the proper materials or resources? This is why I want to raise as many funds as possible. To help those who are less fortunate and find a cure for cancer with the money you helped raise, God willing. Your donation could change lives. So don't be shy and donate generously!

    Please consider joining this fight by donating. 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.

     

     

    9 Comments

    • Anonymous

      Keep shinning like the bright stars that you both are!!! I am so proud of you and forever grateful to Allah for having not one but two of you!

    • Mir Ali & Huma Khan

      Great work Maheen and Arwa!

    • Shahla Chaudhry

      Best wishes

    • Umar & Siraj Haque

      We’re so proud of you both, Maheen & Arwa, for being in the LLS Student Visionaries program this year, Masha’Allah! Hope your campaign goes well Insha’Allah. You are supporting a great cause!

    • Anonymous

      May Allah cure all the patients

    • Hassan I

      Great job mA!

    • Anonymous

      This is for Maheen Elahi and Arwa khan . They have run the campaign on this noble project.

    • Mohammed Javed Bhojani

      Thank you for opportunity

    • Naresh Malhotra

      Great Job, keep it up !

    Contact us by email or call 888.LLS.7177.