$55,000
in
7 Weeks Time
Every now and then you run across those stories that pull on your heart strings a little too close to home. When I was 30 seconds into an informational video with tears already in my eyes, I knew The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was a mission I wanted to be a part of.
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What I didn't know at the time, was just how much saying "yes" to their cause was going to change my life. LLS is on a mission to raise awareness, advocacy, and support all types of cancer patients and their families. In 2020, just weeks after the world shut down, I watched close family friends face the unimaginable when their son, Declan was diagnosed with Leukemia. Declan was just a year older than my younger brother and after watching the two grow up together, his diagnosis hit way too close to home. After watching him fight for over two years saying yes to LLS on his behalf was almost a no-brainer.
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LLS Student Visionary of the Year program is a fundraising competition between local high school students demonstrating that no one is too young to make a difference. In January of 2022 I launched my campaign, known as Soaring for Hope, and set out with the ambitious goal of raising $50,000.
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In a span of seven weeks I hosted 10 events, ran countless social media campaigns, and networked with thousands of people across the country. My events consisted of a craft show with over 65 vendors and 1000 shoppers, babysitting, chili suppers, school-wide spirit week, karaoke nights, and so much more.
It was through this campaign that I learned the importance of good organization, time management, and the power of a strong community. Over the course of seven weeks I was able to bring in thousands of donations and not only was I able to reach my $50,000 goal, we passed it by nearly $5000.
Passing $50,000 allowed us to add Declan's name to the Childhood Cancer Research Portfolio LLS is currently working on. Not only were we able to add to this lasting impact, we also walked away with the Community Involvement Award for the amount of support and donations we received.
The people I met through this campaign have become lifelong friends, and I truly believe the networking skills I built during this chapter of my life have been essential in getting me where I am today.
Myself with Declan and his family when we surprised them with his name on the Childhood Cancer Research Portfolio