Welcome to my fundraising page!

It is my distinct honor to announce my candidacy for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) 2018 Student of the Year!  I humbly ask for your support in my efforts to help provide cancer cures and access to treatments.  I am running in honor of my dad and those many others in our community fighting cancers. 

My family knows cancer all too well.  My dad, Charley Williamson, first battled Stage IV Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2011 and he suffered a devastating recurrence in late 2014.  Those were the darkest days of my childhood as my mom, Corrie, my sister, Caitlin, and I were filled with fear of this deadly disease and its life-altering impacts.  I am blessed to say that after countless rounds of intense chemotherapy, long hospital stays, blood transfusions, and finally a stem cell transplant in 2015, Dad is approaching the 3rd anniversary of his lymphoma being in remission!

Our community faces cancers.  From the headmaster at my school Montgomery Bell Academy Brad Gioia who fought lymphoma in 2016 to the millions of others, young and old, fighting leukemia, Multiple Myeloma, AML, and the like, the stories unfortunately go on and on.  Blood cancer is the third most common cancer, with the first being preventable and the second being more treatable the earlier it is detected.  Unfortunately, neither aspect is true with blood cancer.  In fact, leukemia is still the number-one disease killer among children under the age of 20.  This has to change.  Please help me in making a difference.          

In watching several people around me battling cancer, I have learned not only about strength and fortitude, but I have also learned about the mission of LLS.  LLS is dedicated to curing blood cancers, funding research, and improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

I know that we in our community are and have been recently devastated by other forms of cancer as well.  Several of the LLS-funded therapies first approved for blood cancer patients are now helping treat patients with many other types of cancers, such as breast, lung, colon, and even pancreatic cancer.

Please help be part of the cure! 

LLS’ slogan is that “SOMEDAY IS TODAY,” meaning if we work together we can help develop cancer therapies and cures now, rather than in some distant, undefined future. 

As I know all too well, without the help of friends like you who donate funds to organizations like LLS, my dad, Mr. Gioia, and the millions of others suffering from these cancers might not be here today.  Your donation will help prevent someone from losing a child, sibling, parent or loved one, and allow LLS to continue funding lifesaving research.

I am honored and excited for this campaign! 

Please partner with LLS and help make a cure TODAY!  I truly appreciate your consideration.