Thank you so much for your interest in supporting LLS’s mission to cure blood cancer, not someday but today! Please note, online fundraising gifts made from this point forward will not impact the announcement of the 2019 Triangle Students of the Year, but your donation will still greatly impact LLS’s mission.

Dear Friends & Family,

My name is Kelly Baker, and I am Brian and Maureen’s oldest daughter and the older sister of Ashley, George, and Shea. I’d like to share an experience I had with you that has inspired me to compete in a one-of-a-kind campaign for an exceptionally worthwhile cause. I would be so grateful if you helped me support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society… and help my team, “Sisters By Blood,” hit our goal of $50,000 and become the Students of the Year.

I am honored to announce that I’ve been nominated as a candidate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) 2019 Student of the Year Campaign for the Triangle. I have many motives and reasons behind my desire to compete in this remarkable campaign. The most prominent of these reasons involves an experience I had at a young age that I had no idea would have such a lasting impact on me as I grew older. When I was eight years old, my dad took me to visit one of his close friend’s daughters, Maddie Sargent, at UNC Children’s Hospital. Walking into that hospital room at such a young age, I did not know what cancer was or the significant impact it had on kids and families worldwide. I just knew Maddie was sick, and the doctors were trying to heal her.

A beautiful, active, athletic young girl, Maddie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age six. After about eight months of Maddie following different chemotherapy protocols, Tim and Cara, Maddie's parents, were told that Maddie’s leukemia was not reacting to the treatments as they had hoped. As Maddie and I played with American girl dolls and talked about subjects such as school, sports, and other ordinary things, I remained unaware of the heavy conversation Mr. Sargent and my dad were having just outside the hospital room: Mr. Sargent explained to my dad how the prognosis had taken a turn for the worst, and that they had been asked to bring family down for one last visit. Maddie was much closer to losing her valiant fight with leukemia than beating it. The doctors did mention, however, that there was one last hope: if Maddie could use an LLS researched therapy to get rid of enough of the leukemia below a specific level, they might be able to attempt a bone marrow transplant. The chances were about 20% of survival if in fact they could move forward with the transplant. Not good… but at least there was a chance. The disease never got below the level they were looking for. But the blood levels did get awfully close, and the doctors decided to move forward with the transplant.

Within days, Maddie started to get an itch. This itch was a sign of graft vs host disease which was also a good sign that the treatment might be working….

And it was working! Maddie would soon begin her road to a truly miraculous recovery. My dad kept our family updated on her remarkable recovery and her road back to a normal childhood. Maddie is now 17 years old and nine years cancer free! She is a talented gymnast and a competitive cheerleader who cherishes every day with her family and friends. She and her family, and by extension, we, are committed to helping those that may find themselves in the same situation. Maddie also happens to be the “LLS Honored Hero” for the 2019 Student of the Year campaign.

Like so many of you, I am incredibly thankful for my own health and the health of my loved ones. Reflecting on the experience I had as a young child has compelled me to take part in this fight against blood cancer. People are alive and well today because people raised money to fund more core blood cancer research 10 years ago. I am grateful for this opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the battle against blood cancers, and in doing so, offer support for families struggling through such incredibly difficult circumstances. I have seen first hand the detrimental impact cancer can have on a family, as well as how powerful it is when people come together to battle the disease that affects so many of those we know and love. Thank you so much for reading this email and Maddie’s incredible story.

To donate to my campaign:

- Please visit my fundraising webpage, https://events.lls.org/nc/triangleSOY19/kbaker

- OR send a check made payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 401 Harrison Oaks Blvd., Suite 200, Cary, NC 27513. Please make sure to print “Kelly Baker - Team “Sisters By Blood” in the “Memo” section. The deadline for receiving contributions is March 14th, 2019. Please note: your donations are tax deductible.

I would sincerely appreciate it if you helped be part of the cure and help my team compete in the Triangle Students of the Year campaign. For more information, please contact me at (919) 348-0400 or kellybaker1023@gmail.com . For more information about LLS and Student of the Year, please visit studentsoftheyear.org or www.lls.org. On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, we thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Kelly Baker

2019 Student of the Year Candidate

https://events.lls.org/nc/triangleSOY19/kbaker

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Every dollar makes a difference, so I ask that you please give what you are able. Also, please don’t forget to reach out to your employer in the event they will generously match your gift.

Did you know that:

· Every 3 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer

· Every 10 minutes someone dies from a form of blood cancer

· Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer under age 20

Your donation will help fund the therapies and treatments and help save lives today. All donations for this wonderful cause are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS research, but also patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well.

· $500 = One year patient stipend for co-pays, treatment or transportation

· $200 = One year family support funding for a family support group

· $100 = One tissue typing test to help identify a bone-marrow donor

· $50 = One CT scan to help with determining treatment effectiveness