Dear Friends and Family,

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s annual Students of the Year Campaign and to join the fight against blood cancer.

Students of the Year is a seven-week fundraising competition, from January 25 (today!) to March 13, for high school students in Northern Ohio. My team, The Remission Fighters, is determined of reaching its goal of $40,000 to do our part and give back to those afflicted by blood cancers.

In December 2014, my stepmom was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After 12 grueling rounds of chemotherapy and several rounds of radiation, she was declared in remission and has remained so for over 4 years. In November 2015, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. As of writing this, she has reached her fifty-first round of chemotherapy. Her determination to fight is what tells me to keep going and she is the reason I have chosen to participate in Students of the Year. 

I know the challenges that come along with being the child of a cancer patient, so I cannot imagine what it’s like to actually get diagnosed. People have too much to worry about as is without cancer getting in the way, and through this campaign, I’m aiming to lighten the load for patients and family members dealing with blood cancer.

Please help spread the word! If we’re going to beat cancer, we need all the help we can get! Thank you.

Sincerely,

Patrick Firrell and The Remission Fighters

2020 Student of the Year Candidate