Beating cancer is an important casue that strikes close to home for me. Both my grandfathers succumbed to the disease.  Although they did not pass from blood cancer specifically, I still witnessed the deleterious effects that it had on my family.

My maternal grandfather immigrated from Iran during the revolution. He began a new life with his family, which blessed them with a fresh start and many opurtunities. Unfortunatley he was diagnossed in his late 50's with a brain tumor. He batttled the disease for 20 years and passed away at the young age of 76.

My paternral granfather was a first generation Italian-American. He grew up loving the outdoors, especially the water, where he became an avid boater and fisherman. He shared that passion with me and my siblings while we were growing up. Although he beat prostate cancer, he unfortuantley developed bladder cancer and passed away later in life, at 95.

After observing the negative effects, both physically, and emotionally, of cancer on my grandfathers, I am inspired to engage in my own fight against cancer. By participating in the LLS Student of the Year program, I hope to raise money and contribute to a world without blood cancer. 

I have signed up to save lives with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and am working to raise as much as possible over the next 7 weeks. Every dollar raised counts as one vote for my campaign. The candidate(s) whose team tallies the most votes earns the prestigious title of Student or Students of the Year. Will you help me earn that title?
 
As you know, everyone wins when cancer loses. Thanks to your support, my efforts will help fund therapies and treatments that are saving lives. Over the years, support from people like you has been responsible for the blood cancer advancements that have doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled the survival rate for some blood cancers.
 
Many LLS-supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are also now used to treat patients with rare forms of stomach and skin cancers and are in clinical trials for patients with lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. And LLS-funded drugs like targeted therapies and immunotherapies are now saving thousands of lives every day.
 
We really are getting close to our goal of a world without blood cancers!
 
All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. They'll not only support LLS research, but patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well.
 
Please visit my website often and tell 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