My name is Avery Stover and I'm 16 years old and I am a junior at Carlsbad High School. I live with my Mom, Dad, 13 yo brother, Charlie, and Labradoodle, Daisy. I like to play volleyball, exercise, surf, travel with my family and hang out with my friends! 
 

My family has had two major encounters with cancer. Around eight years ago, my mom, Laurie Stover, was diagnosed with oral cancer and given a 50% chance of survival. She battled the disease for over a year, experiencing all the hardships that come with this horrible disease. She was unable to talk and couldn’t eat normally for many months. I was only eight years old at the time, so I didn’t fully understand what was happening, but I could tell she was struggling. Thankfully, after a long, challenging, and draining battle, she beat cancer. She has been cancer free for seven years and has used that experience to live a better life. She played a very significant role in the success of my campaign last year. Unfortunately, my grandmother wasn’t as lucky. In 2011 doctors found a tumor in my grandmother’s brain, and she was diagnosed with cancer. After just under a year of undergoing treatment and suffering, she lost the battle with cancer. Immediately, I recognized the cycle of grief and pain that her death caused. Losing a loved one changes the course of people’s lives and creates an impact that never truly goes away. 

I do not want any other family to lose a loved one due to any cancers or diseases. Our team Lancers Beat Cancer has set a goal to raise at $15,000 over the next seven weeks to fund cancer research. The Lancer is the mascot representing Carlsbad High school, and we want it to represent our motivation and passion for this cause. Please support us, and make a donation that is meaningful to you. 

As a global leader in the fight against blood cancer, LLS:

• Funds cutting-edge research leading to breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine that are improving and saving the lives of patients
• Provides free education and support for blood cancer patients and families, including personalized, one-on-one support, assistance with identifying and enrolling in clinical trials, and more.
• Mobilizes thousands of advocates to drive policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care.

Please consider joining this fight by making a donation. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. Please visit my website often and tell friends who would also like to donate!

Thanks to your support, my efforts will help ensure this generation is the last to see cancer.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you!

For more information about LLS, please visit www.lls.org.