HI! I'm Siraj Mufti. In 2010, I lost my grandmother to pancreatic cancer. Though I was only five years old at the time, I saw the lasting impact that the event had on my family. As I grew older, I began to understand that my family’s situation was a microcosm of what so many other families experience in the world. Upon learning about the diseases of lymphoma and leukemia, as well as their effects on children and their families, it really hit me that there is so much in life that we, as human beings, take for granted. I realized that in order to make a difference in the field and help advance research for leukemia and lymphoma, I had to begin by being a more intrinsically selfless human-being. When I first learned about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its commitment to cancer research, I saw that it was the perfect way to make a difference because we shared a common goal of performing selfless service in order to help advance cancer research. By participating in the Students of the Year Program, I hope that I am able to inspire myself--and more importantly, those around me-- to make a difference through selfless service, and I hope that our collective efforts can play a role in creating a future that is Cancer-free.