Weber Students Campaign to Fight Blood Cancer
Teen Rams Against Cancer is halfway to meeting their goal.
Take 14 motivated teenagers, two committed teen leaders, and a deserving non-profit that needs funding. Next, turn over the reins to the group and watch them soar!
Teen Rams Against Cancer, formed by students at The Weber School, are quickly moving the needle for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), already raising close to half their goal of $65,000. LLS funds research, advocacy, and support for patients with blood cancer and their families.
The program, known as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign, began earlier this month. The seven-week fundraiser will continue for another three weeks before closing on Feb. 24.
Jillian Smith and Marion Kogon, the campaign leaders for the school’s team, have high hopes as they work to meet their goal.
“We are reaching out to corporations for larger donations, and each of the team members has sent emails to 50 of their contacts. We are also posting links on social media, like Instagram and Facebook. We hope to reach our goal over the next several weeks,” said Kogon.
Smith pointed out that she first learned about the organization when a close friend of her mother’s was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. When asked to co-lead the fundraising efforts this year, she eagerly accepted.
“For every $2,000 our team raises, LLS enters our team into a raffle to win $500. So far, we have won $500 since one of our tickets was pulled by LLS. We are moving forward to reach our goal of $65,000 and hope everyone will help us get there. Blood cancers can be deadly, and we are working to help find a cure,” shared Smith.
The fundraising campaign runs at high schools in 75 cities throughout the United States. According to program organizers, the teens gain networking, financial planning, and public speaking skills from their experiences. At Weber, the team members meet regularly through in-person sessions, Zoom, and a group chat.
Britton Ryan, the campaign development manager for LLS, has worked with Weber teens for the past two years.
“Every year, I am impressed with the teenagers from Weber. They set high standards for themselves and connect deeply to our mission at LLS. Jillian, Marion, and the team members are go-getters who explore every opportunity to reach the goals they have set. They want to excel, and their passion can be seen in the funds they raised only two weeks into the campaign.
Atlanta is the third largest campaign in the LLS network for the country. Last year, participating Atlanta schools raised more than $2 million. Donations help fund research, find a cure, and support patients and their families. Donations may be made at https://events.lls.org/ga/svoyatlanta24/tramsagain.
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