This week I am dedicating my campaign to Michael Mercer.  Michael was just 5 years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the type of leukemia that mostly affects children.  After successful treatment, Michael went into remission for 5 years, when, devastatingly, his cancer returned. After a courageous battle, Michael lost his life when he was just 14 years old.

Since 2008, there are been several advancements in ALL, particularly Car T Cell Therapy.  Today ALL survival rates are nearly 90%, but the parents of the other 10% would say that this is still not good enough.  Please consider a donation to support research in honor of Michael and the thousands of other children who have had to endure this terrible disease. 

This week I am dedicating my campaign to the Breyfogle family.  Kendal and Kenedi are identical twin girls who were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just 3 months old.  After treatment, both girls went into remission.  Unfortunately, 17 months later Kendal relapsed and after a long, hard fight, she died. 

Because AML is not typically seen in children, there are limited and often ineffective treatments.  This is exactly why we need to bring more awareness and funding to this disease so that we can develop better treatments so that no more parents have to lose a child to this disease.  Please consider a donation in honor of Kendal and Kenedi and the entire Breyfogle family. 

Welcome to my Student of the Year campaign page! My name is Olivia Hansing. I have decided to run this campagin because in March of 2015, my stepfather, Jerry Lombardo was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).  Shortly thereafter, we learned that only 1 in 4 people survive longer than five years after diagnosis.  Needless to say, this was devastating news to Jerry, to my mom, to his children, and to our entire family.

Jerry's leukemia was treated with high doses of chemotherapy and fortunately, he went into remission; unfortunately, the cancer returned in September of 2016.  During his second bout with leukemia, complications from the chemotherapy treatment nearly took his life.  This is partially because the treatments for this type of cancer are so archaic and extremely taxing on the body.  In December of 2016, Jerry received a stem cell transplant and has been in remission since. 

We really are changing the face of blood cancer!

All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS research but patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well.

Please visit my web site often and bring friends who would also like to donate!

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere I thank you for your support!
For more information about LLS, please visit lls.org

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Hi Everyone!!  Every week I am going to dedicate a post in remembrance to others who have battled this heinous disease.  This week, I dedicate my campaign to Rob Smith.  Rob was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, (the same as Jerry), in 2011. Rob had been feeling extremely fatigued when he and his wife, Kiernan, sought medical treatment; it was then they discovered that he had AML.  Rob fought his butt off, but, sadly, lost his battle with AML less than 12 months after his diagnosis. Rob was a loving husband to Kiernan, a dedicated father to Finn and Piper, a son, a brother, a friend to many, and Rob will be forever missed by so many. Please consider a donation to work toward finding a cure to prevent this from happening to so many more like Rob.   - Olivia

This week I am dedicating my campaign to Bruno DeFilippis, January 5, 1951-November 1, 2015. Bruno was born in Boville Ernica, Italy and came to America at age 22 to pursue the American Dream. Soon after he met his wife Maria and had 3 children, Debra, Lisa and Jason. He owned a very successful Construction company and work 12 hour days to ensure his family never lacked anything. At age 63 he was suddenly diagnosed with Lymphoma. He was determined to fight this cancer only to find out that he developed a secondary cancer, Leptomeningeal Disease, a terminal cancer. This did not stop him he continued to fight, a true testament of who he really was, a fighter never a quitter.... the cancer took over and 7 months later he passed. His legacy still lives with all who knew him. A man of dignity who was loved by all, a true gem.

Jerry met Bruno when he was his roommate at Sloan Kettering.  Bruno always had a smile for Jerry and always cared so much about how Jerry was doing and feeling. They shared a love of family and all things Italian!  Please consider a donation in honor of Bruno and his family to continue funding research for blood cancers to try to end this horrible disease. 

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This week,  I dedicate my campaign to David Blaska. In 1987, David was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, the same as Jerry.  After a courageous battle, David died in 1988 when he was just 44 years old.   David left behind a loving wife and three young children, Allison, John and Susan.

Sadly, up until just the past few years, the treatment for AML has remained the same since the 1970’s, and it’s not very curative—only 1 in 4 people survive longer than 5 years.  BUT, in the past few years through research and donations like yours, researchers have developed some new treatments and new drugs that have shown to be a great start in giving people like David a chance at watching their children grow up.  Please consider a donation in David’s honor and in honor of the thousands like him that are diagnosed each year.  This money really IS making a difference and it really DOES matter.

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