Today, more than 1.6 million Americans are fighting a daily battle with blood cancers, and every 3 minutes another person unwillingly joins the fight. I have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the battle and help those living with blood cancers. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has nominated me as a candidate in their 2025 Houston Student Visionaries of the Year fundraising campaign, and I could not be more excited to make a difference in the lives of patients across the country. 

This mission is especially important to me personally because I chose to become a candidate for LLS this year to honor my family members who have been affected by cancer, especially my grand-aunt. She was diagnosed with mesodermal sarcoma in 2016 and fought bravely through nearly four years of treatments and surgeries before we lost her in April 2019. Through this campaign, I want to represent her strength and help raise awareness and support for others facing similar battles. Joining LLS is my way of contributing to the fight against cancer and helping make a difference for those impacted by it.

I have assembled Team Heart Healers to help me raise funds. I am proud to lead my campaign team and work towards our goal to raise $50,000 during the next 7 weeks - from Thursday, January 9th until Saturday, March 1st. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the largest donor to blood cancer research in the nation. They have invested over $1.7 billion in research and are leaders in advancing breakthroughs in immunotherapy, genomics, and personalized medicine. These revolutionary new treatments originally discovered through blood cancer research are now being tested in clinical trials for other cancers. While there has been phenomenal progress, there is still so much more to be done. Cancer is still one of the leading causes of death in children and young adults.

My campaign provides an opportunity to support the critical work of LLS in combating these diseases. I am honoring those who have battled blood cancers and raising money that will go directly to LLS in support of its longstanding mission to find a cure and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Along with my team, I will work to increase awareness about the impact of blood cancers and the cutting-edge treatments that are currently being researched, as well as inspire others to join the fight to find a cure. I cannot do this alone; I need your help.