Hi everyone! First off, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to my campaign - it means so much to me to see not only the support for my team but for the cause as well. Since our last post, we've done a lot of work and had some fun in the meantime. At kickoff, the girls had the plesasure of meeting Chloe Brown our Hero of the Year. It has been so fun to talk and get to know her during the process and see the difference our work and your support makes! 

Welcome! Over the past few weeks, the newest members of Team Serviam have worked really hard to finish your letters in time for kickoff (a total of 500)! I am beyond proud of these girls and their dedication. I cannot wait to see where the team's enthusiasm and your support takes us! With kickoff beginning in a matter of hours, on behalf of the team, i wanted to say thank you for joining us on this exciting journey :)

Although survival rates for blood cancer patients have tripled or even quadrupled since the 1960s, many treatments used on young children are the same as treatments used on adults. Because of the claimed adaptability of blood cancer treatments, adults who were formerly treated as childhood blood cancer patients cope with life-long effects. When I was in kindergarten, there was a young girl at my school who was diagnosed with leukemia. Because of this disease during the early stages of life, she had no choice but to undergo a treatment that will have life-long implications on her.

 Much like my kindergarten classmate, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s North Texas’ Hero of the Year Chloe Brown faces multiple chronic conditions as a result of her treatment. Chloe is thirteen years old, the same age as my sister, but still battling a disease that, despite her survival, still plagues her day to day life. Everyday, 80% of childhood blood cancer survivors must function with chronic health conditions, developed as a result of their treatment. In the last 40 years, only 4 oncology drugs have been approved for use in children, demonstrating the importance of funding research to discover new alternatives that lowers to risks of later on-set conditions.

Despite the high survival rates, blood cancer is still the number one killer of children under the age of 20. This opportunity is a humbling endeavor for students and adults alike to help those in our community who are facing the ramifications of a battle in which they do not have the resources to fight. My goal is that in the future, people my age who endure the consequences of life-saving treatments no longer have to deal with the imposing and restricting nature of the treatments. Through blood cancer research and your help, we will find alternative solutions so that children can do what they do best: be kids.

donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. Please visit our website often and bring 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.