Dear Friends and Family,

Today more than a million Americans are fighting a daily battle with blood cancers and every 3 minutes another person unwillingly joins the fight. I have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the battle and help those living with blood cancers. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has nominated me as a candidate in their Charlotte “Students of the Year” fundraising challenge, and I could not be more excited to make a difference in the lives of patients across the country.

I am participating in Students of the Year (SOY) because I want to help families who have dealt with the detrimental effects of cancer. The work of LLS can drastically improve treatment options for cancer patients while also providing help to those currently affected by cancer. After losing my grandfather from cancer, I would do anything to help those who have also been affected by this disease. In addition, I love how the work of LLS can benefit all types of cancers and is not limited to treatment of blood cancers.

Throughout life, I want to prioritize helping others through giving back to the community. SOY is the perfect opportunity for me to help others who need it the most. I look forward to growing personally and professionally throughout this campaign in order to work towards curing cancer!

2020 has been a hard year for everyone, but I think it is important to look outside of myself and focus on some of the most vulnerable people in our community, those affected by cancer. There is so much benefit in reaching out to others determining how you can best serve the community around you! I strongly believe in remaining grateful and counting our blessings during difficult times. When we do this we can live our lives to best serve others wholeheartedly. I hope you will join me in working to cure cancer and helping those who need it the most!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the largest donor to blood cancer research in the nation. They have invested nearly $1.3 billion in research, and are leaders in advancing breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine. These revolutionary new treatments originally discovered through blood cancer research are now being tested in clinical trials for other cancers. While there has been phenomenal progress, there is still so much more to be done. Leukemia is still the second leading cause of death among children under the age of 20.

I have assembled team Make a Change to help me raise funds. I am proud to lead my campaign team and work towards our goal to raise $30,000 during the next 7 weeks - from January 17 – March 5, 2021

Help be part of the cure and help my team compete in the Charlotte Students of the Year campaign. For more information about LLS and Student of the Year, please visit studentsoftheyear.org.

Love,

Anna 

2021 Student of the Year Candidate