I am honored to participate as a team member for the 2019 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 money in honor of two young patient heros (Catherine(7) and Ryland(3)) who are in remission from acute lymphoblastic lukemia. 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.

I decided to participate in this initiative in order to help bring awareness to Leukemia and other blood based cancers. I also believe that this is a great opportunity that not many students have heard about or had the opportunity to take part in so another reason I did it was to tell friends about what it is I am doing in hopes that they will also take part next year. I think that I have a great platform to help others during this 7 week initiative and hope to make a huge difference in people's lives.

Since the early 1960s, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. 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.