Dear Friends and Family,

Today more than a million Americans are fighting a daily battle with blood cancers and every 4 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 distinctly remember sitting in the backseat of my car, and hearing the word “cancer”. My paternal grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 9 years old, just months after my maternal grandmother recovered from her own battle with breast cancer. The next few days were riddled with discussions of treatment plans, options, insurance, and financial considerations. I have seen firsthand how much support cancer patients need, and I am thrilled to be able to contribute. I am looking forward to participating in the LLS Student of the Year program and instilling the spirit of philanthropy in my friends and family. 

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.

My campaign provides an opportunity to support the critical work of LLS in combating these diseases.  I am honoring those who have battled blood cancers and raising money that will go directly to LLS in support of its longstanding mission to find a cure and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Along with my team, I will work to increase awareness about the impact of blood cancers and the cutting edge treatments that are currently being researched, as well as inspire others to join the fight to find a cure.

I have assembled team Fight Back to help me raise funds. I am proud to lead my campaign team and work towards our goal to raise $50,000 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.

Sincerely,

Minaal Khanna

2021 Student of the Year Candidate