Hi! Welcome to my personal fundraising page for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student Visionaries of the Year 2023 campaign! My name is Gracie Lewandowski and I am so excited and honored to be a part of this incredible effort. Alongside my amazing team, Team Generation Cure, I am committed to being a part of the generation that cures cancer. 

For those who are unfamiliar with LLS, the mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma while improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Cancers of all kinds are also advanced through the research and discoveries that are made. LLS does this through their three mission pillars which include: research, advocacy, and patient support. 

As a candidate, it was extremely important to me to form a team that is not bonded by only the funds raised, but rather brought together through the mission which is much bigger than ourselves. Spreading awareness while bringing the community together has always been at the forefront of our team. Through our focused mission pillar of patient support, we are committed to spreading information about ways LLS supports their patients while also striving to support them throughout our campaign. 

I decided to join this campaign because I believe that every human deserves to live a long, healthy, and happy life, even the hundreds of thousands who are diagnosed with cancer. I know the devastating effects cancer has on not only the patient, but their friends and family. Although I was young at the time, to this day I witness the lasting effects cancer has had on my family as a result of my Aunt Lori losing her battle to cancer. It is my goal and hope to be a part of the change that cures cancers so I can be a voice for that change. I truly believe that being a part of LLS has given me the chance to do just this.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself! :) For starters, I am a junior at Robinson Secondary School where I am on the Robinson Girls Varsity Tennis team. It has been one of my best high school experiences as I've made lifelong friends while continuing to grow my love for the sport. In addition, journalism has been a passion of mine for years. Being the Managing Editor for my school newspaper has allowed me to grow my leadership skills while also doing what I love, similar to the work I do for LLS! 

If you ask anyone close to me, they’d tell you that I am a huge travel bug! I am always down for an adventure and I love to travel the world with my family. As a military child, I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to places around the world, giving me a better appreciation for life. I also love Disney, spending time with loved ones, shopping, babysitting, and binging tv shows!

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Curing cancer takes all of us, which is why I need your help. It is an unfortunate reality that everyone has been touched by cancer in some way or another. Together, we can build a better and brighter future. ​​​​​​​

With your generous donation, LLS will continue to:

• Fund cutting-edge research leading to breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine that are improving and saving the lives of patients

• Provide free education and support for blood cancer patients and families, including personalized, one-on-one support, assistance with identifying and enrolling in clinical trials, and more.

• Mobilize thousands of advocates to drive policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care.

If you are willing and able, please consider joining this fight by making a donation. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. Every donation makes a huge difference! Please visit my website often and tell friends who would also like to donate! Thanks to your support, my efforts will help ensure this generation is the last to see cancer.

I'd like to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me thus far on my journey including my Campaign Development Manager, Lizzie Archer and Kristen Bae, my student mentor. And a future THANK YOU to everyone who will support me and LLS.  

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you!

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