Hello! This is Joyce Cho and Luke Newman, and we are juniors at Johnson Ferrry Christian Academy. We have been nominated as student visionaries of the year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Our team is hoping to raise $70,000, and we are excited for this opportunity to be a part of this cause. Luke Newman and I are leading the Team Until a Cure this year where we will be leading a group of our peers in the fight to end blood cancer. Additionally, Luke and I are learning effective leadership, business development, project management, and public speaking skills.

LLS is a global leader in the fight against blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and Hodgkin's disease, where they are dedicated to funding researching, creating cures, and providing treatment for patients. They are working towards eradicating leukemia, myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease, while improving the quality of life for patients and their families. LLS focuses on three primary pillars of impact: research, education and support, and patient advocacy. Luke and I have chosen to focus on research, which leads to breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine that are improving and saving the lives of patients.

SVOY is a leadership development program for high schoolers who embark on a seven week journey with a goal to create a world free of blood cancers. We want to help bring hope and make someone's life brighter through support and fundraising. We strive to create a world where blood cancers are not a threat and where we can help others on their tough journey.

We are so blessed to put this year's efforts on behalf of our honored heroes, Grace Detling and Don Schulte. Grace is a dear friend of mine. She is a sophomore at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy. If you know Grace, you will know that she is full of joy. She was diagnosed in July 2014 with inoperable optic glioma brain tumor. She has undergone a difficult journey through several cycles of chemotherapy. At the moment, she is currently stable. Grace is "clothed with strength and dignity, she laughs without fear of the future." We do this to help kids like Grace and make their lives brighter.

Our second honored heroe is Don Schulte, Luke's grandfather, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in late 2017. One of the most amazing things about this man was his ability to remain positive even in such tough times. Never did he ever lose his sense of humor or his courage in fighting this tough battle. Unfortunately, Don's story is not a happy ending. The cancer continued to spread to places where it was no longer able to be cured. In May of 2018, he lost his life to cancer. Fortunately, this is not the end of the story. Don's struggle has influenced our team name, "Until A Cure." More importatnly, his death has inspired us to embark on this incredible journey, so others may be able to defeat the battle he so bravely fought. 

Please consider joining this fight by making a donation. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. Please share what we are doing with your family and friends. Every 3 minutes, someone in the US is diagnosed with a blood cancer. That means around 480 people each day. With your help, we can make a difference! 

Thank you for your support, our 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.