I am honored to be a member of Team Hope, participating in the 2019 Student(s) of the Year (SOY) campaign, a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the country compete to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

My passion to beat blood cancer runs deep, as this year my extended martial arts family lost Eliana Rouleau at the age of 14 months to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A social butterfly, Eliana's battle with AML was publicly shared through social media, including her daily adventures, milestones and changes in her medical status and treatment. Throughout her short life, Eliana touched the lives of so many, even complete strangers, and she will forever live on in our memories. With fundraising amounts in excess of $50,000, Team Hope will be able to establish a research grant in Eliana's name.

The LLS mission is to 'cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.' LLS funds approximately 300 active research projects, invests more than $1.2 billion in cancer research and provides free information and support services for patients in all stages of cancer. In addition to raising money to benefit LLS, participants in SOY learn professional skills including networking, financial planning and public speaking, while increasing awareness of blood cancers like leukemia, the most common form of cancer in children and teens.

Fundraising efforts begin January 17th and conclude on March 1st at the Grand Finale Gala. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible. On behalf of blood cancer patients and their families everywhere, thank you for your support!

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

BEATING CANCER IS IN OUR BLOOD!