Sophie Cook is a seventeen year-old Senior who attends Northwood High School and she lives in Apex, North Carolina. Her extracurricular activities include varsity tennis, dance, Student Council, DECA, and National Honor Society. Outside of school, she is an active volunteer with the Chatham County PTSA thrift stores and Operation Christmas Child through her church, where she donates, wraps, and sends gifts to children in need. Sophie plans on attending either Meredith, NC State, Butler, or Appalachian State in the fall and plans on majoring in Exercise Science or Biology. Sophie has been a close friend of Madeleine Allen since sixth grade, and was introduced into this society last year when Madeleine competed. She has multiple family members and friends that have been diagnosed with cancer and because of her deep interest in science and her leadership abilities, Sophie wanted to join the campaign to help change the lives of cancer patients and survivors.

I am honored to participate in the 2019 Students of the Year program, a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the country participate in a fundraising competition to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am proud to be raising critical dollars in honor of a young patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer. Each dollar is a vote. The candidate team that raises the most money at the end of the seven weeks is named Student(s) of the Year. Our mission is to not only raise the most money but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia, which is the most common form of cancer in children and teens.

Since the early 1960s, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. And many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are helping patients with other cancers and serious diseases. In fact, drugs first approved for blood cancers are now approved to treat patients with stomach cancers, skin cancers, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

We really are changing the face of blood cancer!

All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research but will help provide critical information and support for patients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.

Please visit our website often and bring friends who would also like to donate!

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you for your support!

For more information about LLS, please visit www.lls.org.