Hello, my name is Aria Giddings and I want to thank you first for posing interest in my campaign, this wonderful foundation, and this more than deserving cause.   Second, I wanted to share my personal reasoning for joining the LLS Student of the Year campaign.

The reason I joined the LLS group was because of the injustices I saw children with these diseases being given. Though I have no connection to Blood Cancer in my personal life, in looking into this candidacy and organization I started reading some of the many heartbreaking and terrifying statistics and stories surrounding pediatric blood cancer.

The main part of this mission that stuck out to me was raising awareness and giving children with these diseases what they deserve in terms of adequate research and solutions. Some chemotherapies used on these kids were made in the 1950-1960s and that is unacceptable. Part of the reason for this is that pharmaceutical companies don't see a big enough group to cater to.

This year’s Honored Hero is Harper.  Harper was diagnosed with Blood Cancer at the age of five.  She is currently recovered but is predicted to have some heartbreaking repercussions to her life in the future.  It is hoped that we can come together and fight alongside Harper not only for her but also for all children with blood cancer.  That we can produce some new methods of cure that insure a lack of harmful corollaries as these children grow. 

A core goal for me in joining this cause is to grow awareness and by consequence create more therapies and treatments. This team and overall nonprofit organization will work to change the course of pediatric blood cancer in the future so new tactics will be used, more research will exist, and we will see fewer children with these diseases.

I hope you will join me in my journey to aid LLS in their broad efforts towards this cause and their steps towards a healthier, safer, brighter future for all those affected by blood cancer!

I have signed up to save lives with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and am working to raise as much as possible over the next 7 weeks. Every dollar raised counts as one vote for my campaign. The candidate(s) whose team tallies the most votes earns the prestigious title of Student or Students of the Year. Will you help me earn that title?
 
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!
 
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