Five years ago, my family and I found out that my brother, Damian, was diagnosed with Pediatric Follicular Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.  When you hear that a family member has cancer, it changes you. Hearing those words out loud was the scariest moment of my life. I had no idea what would happen to my brother. The fear and uncertainty that I felt was overwhelming. Thankfully, due to the research supported and funded by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, my brother had great care and a fighting chance! He is currently doing very well, and continues to be monitored by his oncologist.

I am so grateful for LLS and how far all of their supported research has come, however the  work is not done. The fight against blood cancers rages on. No little boy or girl should have to deal with the fear and uncertainty that surrounds a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. It is this belief that drove me to become a part of the solution. I am honored to say that I am a candidate for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Student of the Year Campaign. I am running as part of “Team Jim Thorpe” along with my friend, Olivia Wolfe. Olivia lost her brother, Hunter, to Leukemia in 2011 and her dad, Tony, is currently fighting the same terrible disease. I am reaching out to you today to ask for your support in my efforts to help LLS in its mission to ensure access to cures and treatments for blood cancers.

I am competing with several other Student of the Year candidates in the Lehigh Valley, and together we will each put our best fundraising foot forward in honor of all those fighting blood cancer.  

While childhood leukemia has the highest cure rate of any blood cancer, it is also still the number-one disease killer among children under the age of 20. This needs to change, and I know that as we come together and partner with LLS we will find a cure, not someday, but today!