HI! WE ARE TEAM OPEN HEARTS!

We are so incredibly honored to participate as a team for the 2020 Students of the Year program, a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the nation participate in a fundraising competition to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We are raising money in honor of a young patient hero, Annabelle, who is currently battling blood cancer. Each dollar goes towards helping someone like Annabelle and helps them fight their battle against blood cancer. Our mission is to not only raise the most money but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia, which is the most common form of cancer in children and teens.

BEATING CANCER IS IN OUR BLOOD!

Since the early 1960's, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled. Many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are helping patients with other cancers and serious diseases. In fact, drugs first approved for blood cancers are now used to treat patients with stomach cancers, skin-cancers, and auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

We really are changing the face of blood cancer!

ANNABELLE'S STORY

In March of 2019, Annabelle visited Arkansas for her cousin's birthday. While in a bouncy house, she collapsed. For weeks her mother had been told Annabelle just had a cold or was dehydrated, but that day she collapsed changed everything. Arkansas Children's Hospital ran tests and discovered Annabelle haad trillions of cancer cells in her body. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and was flown to Little Rock, AR to begin treatment. Had this continued to be misdiagnosed and dismissed by doctors, she would have had only weeks to live. Instead, she is not only surviving but thriving as a bright, playful six-year old. Annabelle's situation taught her a simple but important lesson. In her own words, "nobody fights alone."

Annabelle is why we fight. It's time to open our hearts and not only help people in their battle against cancer but fight alongside them. Who do you fight for?

JOIN THE FIGHT!

All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research but will help provide critical information and support for patients as well as support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.

Please visit our website often and bring friends who would also like to donate!

Donations are not the only way you can join the battle! Contact us at openheartslls@gmail.com to find out how you can help!.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you so much for your support!

For more information about LLS, please visit www.lls.org.

OUR CANDIDATES!

Dheeksha Krishnan (Junior at Bentonville Highschool)

Rachael Thumma (Sophomore at Bentonville Highschool)

Bilal Raza (Junior at Bentonville Highschool)

OUR TEAM!

Matangi Arun

Shiva Balathandayuthapani

Tejasv Bhatia

Manas Chithirala

Alison Jang

Rae Juan

Vaisakh Karuvath

Lahari Kolluru

Soumya Kolluru

Abhinav Krovvidi

Sindhuja Kudapa

Reshvar Kuppurangi

Leilani Mack

Abhi Madhavan

Aryan Mahajan

Amulya Manchikanti

Ashwin Marathe

Sam Mccoin

Vishwa Murali

Pradyun Pandey

Saahas Parise

Jim Quirk

Shreya Ramani

Amrusha Ranjith

Medhansh Sankaran

Janani Saravanan

Saloni Satappagol

Sid Sunkireddy

Rithvik Talluri

Ani Tavva

Priya Thelapurath

Vedish Thimma

Dinesh Vasireddy

Bridget Verkamp

Samy Vimalraj