Hi! Welcome and thank you for visiting my fundraising page for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) 2023 campaign! My name is Gelila Solomon and earlier last year, I was presented with the incredible opportunity to represent LLS as a 2023 Student Visionary of the Year Candidate- within a heartbeat, I took it and have never looked back since. 

The mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma while improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Through LLS’s three mission pillars, research, advocacy, and patient support, they can provide families with new cutting-edge research and treatments in addition to providing financial assistance.

As one of the candidates for Team Generation Cure, building a team with the foundational goal of spreading the mission and bringing togetherness in our community was my main priority. In addition to raising funds, we are committed to highlighting all the ways LLS has helped and continues to help people. Through our selected mission pillar, patient support, our job as a team is to highlight and educate our community about the countless ways LLS changes the lives of so many people. 

I decided to join this campaign because I want to help my community on a larger scale. I know how one diagnosis can have a deleterious impact on family and friends. Unfortunately, that is a reality for hundreds of thousands of individuals each year. I believe everyone has the right to live a fulfilled and accomplished life, one with great adventures and cherishable memories. Nothing should get in the way of that, especially cancer. Through LLS, I hope to raise awareness for the mission and be an advocate for change.

I am currently an 11th grader at Robinson Secondary School and am a violinist for the Robinson Concert Orchestra. Orchestra has influenced my life in the greatest way possible. Not only has it helped me find a new sense of appreciation towards music, being a part of an ensemble truly helps me hone in on my leadership skills. Additionally, I am on the Robinson Girls Varsity Tennis team. Through my experiences on the team, I was able to make meaningful friendships and long lasting memories. I look forward to exercising the skills I have acquired through the years and implementing them into the work I do for LLS.

Activities I enjoy outside of school & LLS include reading science fiction and dystopia, watching sitcoms from the early 2000s, and trying new food. I also love spending time with friends and family.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and all over the world. The efforts of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and generous donations from people like you have made such a positive impact on countless families. In fact, many sources state that Cancer death rates in the US have dropped by 33% in the last three decades! With your contribution and support, we can continue to increase that percentage and be the generation to end cancer! 

With your support, LLS will continue to:

• Fund 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 possible, please consider joining this fight by making a donation! All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. Please visit my website often and tell friends who would also like to donate! I am grateful for your support and consideration, my efforts will help ensure this generation is the last to see cancer!

I would also like to take the time to show my infinite gratitude and appreciation for my Developmental Campaign Manager, Lizzie Archer, and student mentor Kristen Bae. And thank YOU for your consideration and for taking the time to read my fundraising page! 

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