I am honored to participate as a team member for the 2020 Students of the Year program, a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the country participate in a fundraising competition to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am proud to support my candidate, and former student of mine, Tia Beirne, and am raising critical dollars in honor of a young patient hero from Middleton, Wisconsin named Noah Sanger, who is currently battling leukemia. Each dollar is a vote. The candidate team that raises the most money at the end of the seven weeks is named Student of the Year. Our mission is to not only raise the most money, but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia.

I am also participating in this program because it is a fulfilling way to give back to an organization that has played a very important role in my own life. In 2015 I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. I endured a variety of treatments including intense chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. The research done by the LLS to develop these treatments, along with my brother's perfectly matched bone marrow, saved my life! Today I am in remission and living life to the fullest! 

Please help me in my mission to help others so that they, too, can live a healthy life again. All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research, but will help provide critical information and support for patients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, thank you for your support!

-Jodi 

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