I am thrilled to announce that this year once again, I will be taking part in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) “Student Visionaries of the Year” campaign as a candidate for Brookside High School along side my friend Zoe. This campaign is a 7-week fundraiser collecting donations to fund the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Throughout these next 7 weeks my team and I will be working hard to reach our goal of raising $75,000 in hopes of improving the lives of those battling blood cancer. As many of you know I lost my grandmother last year to cancer so this is in honor of her. 

Every 3 minutes someone hears the three awful words “You have cancer”. So it is LLS’s goal to create a world where no one has to hear those words. LLS runs off of three main pillars, research, patient education and support, and policy and advocacy. Since the 1960’s five-year survival rates for blood cancers have increased by 2x, 3x, and even 4x. Since 2017, LLS has funded 53 of 61 FDA approved treatments. But wait there's more! Since 2000 more than 40% of the new cancer therapies approved by the FDA are for blood cancers. LLS has supported 60% of those therapies. LLS has supported 80 research grants, a $188 million multi-year commitment in 2018. Not only has all of this supported blood cancers, but also other cancers and serious diseases. 

On top of all of that though, there is still more to do. Right now more than 1.2 million people are living with or in remission from Leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and Myeloma. More than 33% of blood cancer patients do not survive five years after diagnosis. An average of 3,679 children and young adults are diagnosed with leukemia. And we want all of those numbers to be zero.

Before this time last year I had never heard of LLS, and maybe you never have until now too. Now I am so thankful I am being given this opportunity to be a Student of the Year candidate and honored to take part in such an amazing organization. Though it might seem like a stretch to raise $75,000 in the span of 7 weeks, I am a go-getter and I know it's possible. My team members and I are the most dedicated, supportive, and loving people I know. Together we can spread the word about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and reach our goal of $75,000.

With your help, we can work together to make a difference in someone’s life. You can change the world for a patient, their family, and their friends by making a donation of any amount. Your support would be greatly appreciated, more than I can express. All donations are tax deductible. Stand with us in the fight against blood cancer!

Sincerely, 

Zack Kallas and the rest of my amazing team