Greetings from Erica Ganske and Ava Ernst!

We are honored to have been selected as 2022 co-candidates for the Students of the Year program through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Many of you might remember the wildly successful E & A Lemonade Stand from our younger years. Well, we’re back…except this time, we are fundraising for a much greater cause; funding research to combat and hopefully cure blood cancers like the type that took Erica’s mom Lisa far too soon and the type that Erica’s dad Mike continues to fight to this day.

FROM ERICA: As many of you may know, in 2013 my dad Mike was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. While there have been hurdles, he is on an FDA fast-tracked trial medication which keeps his disease in remission allowing him to lead a mostly normal life since his initial diagnosis. Four years later, the odds were not in our favor when my mom Lisa was diagnosed with a far more aggressive form of leukemia, called Acute Myelocytic Leukemia. After an immediate bone marrow transplant, her remission lasted only 9 months before she relapsed. She continued to battle this terrible disease with chemo and blood transfusions for nearly a year, but tragically lost her fight on November 16, 2019. Our lives were forever changed. To have BOTH parents diagnosed with two unrelated forms of blood cancer is unthinkable, and to lose my mom shortly thereafter was devastating. We are so thankful for the medications available for my dad as he continues his battle. With the help of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, more research and treatments can be produced to help provide more options for patients like my parents.
FROM AVA: Mrs. Ganske (Lisa) was like a second mom to me and I miss her dearly. Blood cancer doesn’t discriminate—two months ago, my favorite teacher Mr. Trovato was diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia and is in the hospital undergoing chemo. Please help me raise the funds to help people like Mr. Trovato—LET’S DO THIS!!
 
Since 2017 (the year Lisa was diagnosed), the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has funded 57 of the 66 approved blood cancer treatments. Many of these treatments are used to treat 10 additional forms of cancer and other diseases such as MS, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and diabetes. Your donation helps more than you ever realize! Our goal is to raise $60,000 between Jan. 6 - Feb. 26, 2022. All donations are tax deductible and you'll not only support LLS research, but patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well; for more information about LLS, please visit www.lls.org.

We chose our team name “Life Is Good!” in honor of the password Lisa chose in her final months. With your donation, life still CAN be good for those diagnosed with blood cancers. Thank you in advance for your support, and live by Lisa’s motto, “Life Is Good!”

Sincerely,
Erica Ganske and Ava Ernst