‘Tis the season to make a difference! Air Academy is participating in a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The fundraiser ends on December 16th, the last day before winter break. This will be the first time AAHS is supporting this great cause! Your money will be going towards a cause that helps local children suffering from leukemia and lymphoma, as well as research for better treatment and eventually a cure! Air Academy will be competing against the nation for the top fundraising school. Last year, District 20’s Rampart High School placed second in the nation, raising $53,180.25! Jordan Jurczak, the Rocky Mountain Chapter campaign manager of the Student Series, shared facts about LLS and how WE can make a difference. She said that this school year’s goal  is to raise $600,000 from schools in Colorado and Wyoming, which make up the Rocky Mountain Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. LLS hopes to reach that goal with the help of 600 schools. Last year, LLS funded doctors left 30 million dollars’ worth of research on the table. This is because LLS ran out of donations and funding so they could not continue their work.

What are leukemia and lymphoma?

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Normal blood cells turn into leukemia cells causing the cell to not mature correctly. The leukemia cells reproduce quickly and sometimes outlive normal cells. These cells build up in the bone marrow, crowding out normal cells.The leukemia cells spill into the bloodstream fairly quickly and can go to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), or other organs. These malignant cells can keep other cells in the body from doing their jobs properly.

Lymphoma is cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system, called lymphocytes. These cells are in the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other parts of the body. When one has lymphoma, lymphocytes change and grow out of control. Blood cancer affects more children, teens, adolescents, and young adults under the age of 20 more than any other type of cancer. Every 3 minutes, someone in the world is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every 9 minutes, someone in the world loses their battle with blood cancer.  Today, people diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) have a 90% chance of survival. An estimated combined total of 171,550 people in the US are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2016.

What is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or LLS, is “the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services” (lls.org). For example, the LLS might pay for travel expenses and hotels for patients and family members who must travel for treatment. When asked where the donation money goes, Jordan Jurczak said, “The money goes to LLS Funded doctors who are working extremely hard to find a cure for blood cancer through clinical trials and conducting tons of research. On the other side of that, we also use the money to fund our Patient Access Programs. Some of those programs include patient support groups, co-pay assistance, travel assistance, and so much more.”

Rocky Mountain Hero Patient

Every year, LLS highlights a local Rocky Mountain Hero Patients who are children battling blood cancer. Quade Marks is one of this year’s hero. He is 9 years old and in third grade at a local elementary school in Denver, CO. Quade is battling AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and currently in treatment. Recently, he underwent a stem cell transplant surgery and is now recovering at home with his family. His mom, Michelle, said, “His passion for helping others with leukemia prompted him to support LLS while he was going through chemo and a bone marrow transplant.” Quade loves to play lacrosse and competes on a snowboard team in Breckenridge, CO. For more information on Quade, you can visit http://quade8.com/

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Air Academy has an online donation page and Student Council is organizing fundraising events for the next couple of weeks. Jordan suggested that rather than just donating money as an individual, work as a community involved to raise donations and spread awareness about blood cancer. We are so close to finding a cure and we can accomplish our goals by working together!  The online donation site’s goal is set at $2017. However, I know that out Kadet family can easily surpass this goal! Help save the lives of patients affected by blood cancer, just like Quade! The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is saving the lives of blood cancer patients, “not someday but today.” 

LLS staff like Jordan, researchers, doctors, and patients (especially Quade), thank you for joining the cause!

Donate here! http://events.lls.org/pages/rm/Air-Academy-High-School-2017