Everyone's life has been touched by cancer. Our family members and friends have suffered from cancer or passed away from the disease, but there are millions of survivors among us. Cancer has been a personal part of my life. My grandmother, one of the strongest women I know, battled for five long years and thankfully conquered breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, 15.5 million people in America were diagnosed with cancer in 2016 alone, and data shows that around 38.4% of people will be diagnosed similarly at some point in their lives. The numbers are devastating to see, but there's always the possibility of a cure that can change the future.

My role in the fight against cancer came when I joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) 2019 Students of the Year (SOY) campaign. Dedicated to raising money for blood cancers, it allows students to help with cancer research through philanthropy. LLS itself funds research across the continuum, from basic research through clinical trials, and to date, they have invested more than $1.2 billion in research to advance therapies and save lives. LLS research grants have funded many of today's most promising advances, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies.

I see myself taking on a job dedicated to research for disease treatment in the future, but I know that the biggest impact I can make now as a high school student is what I do as part of LLS' Students of the Year.

When my close friend, Annie Seth, and I discussed how we could contribute to fighting against cancer with LLS, we were informed that above the $100,000 level, we would be able to link the money we raised to a specific research portfolio. We formed Team UnitedCure with 20 diligent students from Alpharetta High School, and our fundraising activities will be linked to the research of Hodgkin's Lymphoma when we reach the $100,000 mark. Hodgkin's lymphoma is the most common cancer found in teenagers of our age group, and SOY has provided us with the remarkable ability to impact the future of medicine as mere students.

Every cent we raise will be dedicated to the progress of cancer research.

The huge goal of defeating cancer once and for all requires every helping hand possible, and we cannot do it without your support. Our team goal is to raise over $100,000 in the seven week period from January 31 to March 23.

You can donate to Team UnitedCure's fundraising page to make a contribution to our campaign, and we thank you for helping fight cancer and building a better future. We hope that you are as proud as we are to be associated with this effort.