In December 2023, my older sister (on the left) and best friend, Gabi, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma. The official diagnosis required several different trips to various specialists. For each appointment leading up to the diagnosis, she would go with one of our parents to get tests while I was at school or studying for finals. 

This entire journey to acquiring a diagnosis required her to leave at the end of her first semester of college at the University of California at Santa Barbara, her dream school.

I still distinctly remember every detail about the moment when I found out. I was working out in the back of my mom's house, expecting to come back inside to eat dinner, and hear that the latest appointment concluded it was a harmless clump of nothing on her scalp. I never expected to come inside to my family close to tears, only to be told to go to my room, clueless about what was about to happen. After ten minutes, I was told to come out, and I learned the results of her biopsy.

Now, one thing about me is that I rarely ever cry, but this hit me hard. As in uncontrollable tears, though these hit later in the night in my room. Our whole family was shocked. My older sister, the one I look up to for advice and assistance with nearly everything, both social and academic, was overtaken by a parasitic, deadly disease. 

For the next 5 months, Gabi underwent rigorous chemotherapy. Although I tried to visit her during her hospital stays, the few times I could scarred me from seeing her so weak. However, it also opened my eyes to the many different ages and health levels that I had seen in her hall, also undergoing chemo. This made me realize how cancer could happen to anyone, no matter their circumstances.

I am forever grateful to the amazing doctors, nurses, and my parents for persevering and granting Gabi the ability to ring the bell at the end of chemo. Those months with Gabi, trying to balance my social life and academic goals, were honestly horrible and were not what I thought my sophomore year in high school would be defined with.

Now, as an LLS Student Visionary of the Year candidate and a sister, daughter, and granddaughter of cancer victims, I am here to ask for your support for the amazing cause of LLS. These funds will aid so many others who have gone through/are going through experiences similar to Gabi's and mine and will help advance life-saving blood cancer research, advocate for more accessible treatments, and support patients and their families. Let's work together to raise funds for this cause!

Visionaries look to the future—and see infinite possibilities.
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 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. Im overjoyed to have received this outstanding opportunity, which I originally sought after due to my sister's diagnosis.

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 donating. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. Please visit my website often and tell friends who would 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.