Whitko High School juniors Bailey Wolfe and Jillian Culp are team leaders for the 2024 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student Visionaries fundraising campaign.
The LLS’s Northeast Indiana Team Bailey & Jillian Student Visionaries of the Year fundraising campaign takes place through March 22.
Student Visionaries is a seven-week leadership development program to help blood cancer patients not only survive but thrive after treatment, according to a provided news release.
This is a team of committed friends and family that together have set a fundraising goal of $55,000 in local communities. The money raised helps LLS, the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers, fund research to advance lifesaving treatments, and provide patients and families with hope, guidance, education and support, the release states. This team is particularly passionate about the patient education and support pillar and will be representing this area of LLS during their campaign.
“My reasons for participating in LLS are that my great-grandma and great-uncle both have blood cancer. Through this campaign, I have learned more about LLS and their mission,” said Wolfe. “In that process, I also found out that LLS has helped both of my family members. I want anyone who has blood cancer to get the best support possible and LLS is working to provide that to everyone who is fighting this battle.”
"As an oncology doctor it's great to see young people support such an important cause," said Dr. Matthew Bartock, hematologist oncology specialist.
“I have chosen to participate in this campaign for two reasons. The first is because my little cousin was diagnosed with leukemia at 15 months old. I can’t imagine going to the doctor thinking your child was so sick that they were going to die. Later getting a phone call saying you needed to rush to the hospital as fast as possible to start treatment so you could have at least one more day with your child,” said Culp. “I don’t want anyone to have to go through that in their life. The second reason I am participating is because having Crohn’s Disease increases the likelihood that I will be diagnosed with lymphoma in my lifetime.”
These local restaurants are participating in “Give Back” for LLS Team Bailey & Jillian Student Visionaries of the Year fundraising campaign on Friday, Feb. 9 and Saturday, Feb. 10: One Ten Craft Meatery and B+B Courthouse Market. Ten percent of sales will be donated on those dates to LLS.
Jillian and Bailey are also hosting an LLS Night on Feb. 23 at the Whitko vs Lakeland Christian Academy basketball game at 7 p.m.
There are several ways to make your tax-deductible contribution by March 22:
• Mail your tax-deductible contribution to LLS at 11550 N. Meridian St., Suite 114, Carmel, IN 46032. Print Bailey Wolfe or Jillian Culp in the memo section. Make all checks payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society”.