Student council raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
More stories from Arica Hawkins
Photo By: Claudia Quiroz
Approximately every nine minutes, someone in the United States dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 155 people each day or more than six people every hour.
Leukemia and lymphoma are expected to cause the deaths of an estimated 56,630 people in 2016. These diseases are expected to account for 9.6 percent of the deaths from cancer in 2016, based on the estimated total of 589,430 cancer deaths.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is an organization that raises funds to contribute to cancer research and help treat patients. With these fundraisers, schools get together and stand up to help find a cure through donations.
Student Council will be raising money for the society throughout the month of February.
“We are raising spare change to donate to the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society,” student council sponsor Ms. Samantha Matthis said. “The money is used for things like research and treatment scholarships.”
The group is donating the money under a fellow teacher’s name, Mrs. Elizabeth Bragg’s, a brave English teacher, who is currently battling lymphoma.
“The LLS approached me two years ago about this program and we have really enjoyed doing it,” Matthis said. “This year is really special because all funds will be donated in Ms. Bragg’s.”
If any other program on campus would like to join forces and help the student council raise money for the brave men, women and children diagnosed with either of these diseases, they are more than welcome to.
“Right now, it is just StuCo putting on the program, but we are asking all students and staff to donate,” Matthis said. “Classes will compete to raise spare change. We will also collect change during sporting events as well as different activities going on during all lunches. Student council will also make posters and to put around the school.”
Ms. Matthis explains their yearly fundraiser, which will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
A penny a day to a thousand pennies a day, no amount is too little or too much when it comes to making a difference. We could unite as a school.
“Anyone can make a difference,” student council president senior Lilian Nino said. “I am beyond blessed with everything I have in my life and being able to be a part of making a difference in someone’s life is such an amazing gratifying feeling.”
Student council will be collecting pennies throughout the month of February.