The Leukemia and Lymphoma society is a charity that raises money to end blood cancer. Students around the area create campaigns and fundraises for this cause. It’s a 7-week long journey that strives to reach a monetary goal, and have the title of Student Visionary of the Year.
Representing the Bullpups Beat Cancer team in the LLS campaign are Adelyn Barrow and Jasmyn Evans, both juniors at McPherson High School. Their dedication and hard work aim to make a significant impact on the fight against blood cancers.
“Corey Bruce is our connection. He was diagnosed with Asbestos Melanoma and we want to do it in honor of him to raise money for other patients and families of those with cancer.” Says Evans on what has inspired this journey for them.
The three pillars for LLS are research, patient support, and policy and advocacy. The research pillar stands for LLS funding the most promising blood cancer research anywhere in the world. The patient support pillar represents providing free information, support services and financial assistance. Finally the policy and advocacy pillar represents volunteers who advocate for state and federal policies that benefit patients.
Evan states, “Our mission pillar is research, so all the money we raise goes to research to help fund for blood cancer.” This means the funds they raise are directly channeled into research aimed at finding better treatments and ultimately cures for leukemia and lymphoma.
Each year LLS has a Honored Hero that student visionaries use to motivate fundraising efforts and serve as a strong reminder of what the LLS mission is. This year’s hero is Zailynn Glenn, a four year-old, who suffered from ALL B-Cell Leukemia when she was two years old.
“Our mission hero, Zailynn Glenn, she was diagnosed when she was two and she’s now four and she’s doing a lot better, so I think that awesome.” Evans explains, a success story that has inspired Bullpups Beat Cancer in their campaign.
In efforts to reach this goal, campaigns do various fundraising events and advertisements to help get a good word about the cause they are fighting for. These activities not only raise funds but also increase public awareness and support for the fight against blood cancers, encouraging more people to get involved and contribute to the mission.
“Sharing awareness, sharing our stuff on social media, getting involved in our team and all those things.” Evans explains about getting community involvement.
Last year’s Student Visionaries of the Year was Bullpups Beat Cancer, Mallorie Cooper and her two other friends. Together, they won this title and raised $78,000 that went towards the ongoing battle to end blood cancers.
“Prepare as much as you can,” Cooper says, giving advice to future candidates. She also adds onto that saying, “You never know what connections can bring, you never know where they’re going to take you in life. Always be kind and always be thankful.”
To conclude, organizations like LLS play a crucial role in fighting blood cancers. Their research funding, patient support, and awareness campaigns bring hope. As Evans said, “It’s really important and a good cause.” Help Bullpups Beat Cancer raise money for their LLS journey!
