CO CANIDATES: 

Ella Ryer and Taylor Shields: High school students at Gloucester County Insititute of Technology, Level 8/9 Gymnasts at Cherry Hill Gymnastics, HOSA club members, Allied Health Students

Mission Pillar: Patient Support- Our goal is to make an impact on how cancer affects others through patient support. We have seen first hand through personal experience and volunteering in various healthcare settings how cancer affects others. 

Ella Ryer- 16 years old, GCIT Health Sciences Program, Cherry Hill Gymnastics Gymnast

WHY: This past summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Inspira Cancer Center. Each week, I would check patients into their infusion and radiation therapies. Every week I would not only greet new patients  but those who would return from the previous weeks. Some patients would come in alone while others would have their entire family there to support them.  What I noticed most about each of these patients that I interacted with was that despite the mix of emotions  they wore on their face that they all had one thing in common which was to defeat cancer. These individuals in my eyes are the true definition of a hero. While I saw  first hand  the importance of having your own support system, I also  recognized the need for the greater fight against cancer. This need is why I  chose to get involved with LLS society as this organization plays a vital role in this fight.

Taylor Shields- 15 years old, GCIT Health Sciences Program, Cherry Hill Gymnastics Gymnast

WHY: In the past few years I have recently experienced first hand the effects that cancer can have not only the patient, but also on their entire family. In 2020 my grandfather was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer. This news came as a shock to me and my family. Throughout his treatments I saw firsthand how family, friends, and the support of his medical team working together raised his hope and spirits, giving him the strength to fight. Through this diagnosis my family discovered they carry the BRCA 2 gene.​ The BRCA gene was passed down to my two aunts, my uncle, and my mother.  There is a 50% chance that this will also be passed down to me and my two brothers, as well as my cousins. I won’t know the true impact it will have on me specifically until I am tested in my twenties, where I will be then faced with making the decision to take proactive measures to potentially spare me from a cancer diagnosis in the future. Through this ongoing experience I have recognized the need for the fight against cancer. This need is why I  chose to get involved with LLS society as this organization plays a significant role in this fight.

Visionaries look to the future—and see infinite possibility.
They challenge the status quo—and make the impossible possible.
They boldly imagine a better world – and lead the charge to create it.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was built on that same vision - of a better world - one without blood cancers.

I am a visionary; I have a vision for a world without cancer, but I need your help.

This year, I’m proud to be a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign, working to raise as much as possible for LLS’s mission.

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.