I am McCartney Bell. I am a 15 year old sophomore at Santa Fe High School in Edmond. When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Before my diagnosis, I liked to play upright bass and participate in swim meets. But after I started treatment I wasn’t able to do those things anymore. I was getting multiple blood transfusions every month and never had enough energy to do the normal things I loved. I still found ways to make the hospital visits seem fun. I would dress up in my unicorn or dinosaur onesies and sometimes even in full Halloween costumes. Dressing up made something that seemed like a tedious task feel easier.

I also found other interests that I could pursue such as drama club, Sunshine Kids, volunteering at the animal shelter, and I am the president of the German Club at my school. On September 28^th, 2018 I finished my last round of chemotherapy! However, as a side effect of the chemotherapy that I had received, I developed avascular necrosis in both of my hips. This required me to get both hips replaced in 2019. Now that I have gone through this cancer journey, I plan to go to medical school to become a pediatric oncologist so that I can help other kids like me.

As a survivor, running for Students of the Year with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society means a lot to me. I want to spread awareness about blood cancer and do my part to save the lives of other kids who will be diagnosed one day like I was. I want to help The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fight cancer and also win a scholarship to help pay for my medical school so that I can save the lives of patients one day.

I am honored to participate as a team member for the 2020 Students of the Year program, a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the country participate in a fundraising competition to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am proud to support my candidate and am raising critical dollars in honor of a young patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer. Each dollar is a vote. The candidate team that raises the most money at the end of the seven weeks is named Student of the Year. Our mission is to not only raise the most money but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia, which is the most common form of cancer in children and teens.

Since the early 1960s, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. And many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are helping patients with other cancers and serious diseases. In fact, drugs first approved for blood cancers are now approved to treat patients with stomach cancers, skin cancers, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

We really are changing the face of blood cancer!

All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research but will help provide critical information and support for patients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.

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.