I have signed up to save lives with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society in honor of my Mom who fought a courageous battle with breast cancer and won! With that being said I am working to raise as much as possible over the next 7 weeks. Every dollar raised counts as one vote for my campaign and a kick to cancer. The candidate(s) whose team tallies the most votes earns the prestigious title of Student or Students of the Year.

As you know, everyone wins when cancer loses. Thanks to your support, my efforts will help fund therapies and treatments that are saving lives. Over the years, support from people like you has been responsible for the blood cancer advancements that have doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled the survival rate for some blood cancers.

Many LLS-supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are also now used to treat patients with rare forms of stomach and skin cancers and are in clinical trials for patients with lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. And LLS-funded drugs like targeted therapies and immunotherapies are now saving thousands of lives every day.

We really are getting close to our goal of a world without blood cancers! Lauren and I are both beyond excited to be able to continue the Columbia Kicks Cancer Legacy. The campaign was first introduced to our high school two years ago by Jessica Borst who is a childhood cancer survivor and the first candidate to represent Columbia. Chase Durivage and Taylor O’Brien then took on the responsibility to follow in her footsteps, assuring that Columbia Kicks Cancer would be represented the next year. Now it is our turn. We are more than ready to do everything we can to help make a difference and represent our community.

All donations are greatly appreciated and tax-deductible. They'll not only support LLS research, but patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well.

Please visit my website often and tell 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