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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Illinois Chapter Announces Local 2020 Students of the Year Winner

Contact:
Michelle Mayer
michelle.mayer@lls.org
(312) 568-7736

Chicago, Ill. (March 12, 2020) – Through The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS)  Illinois Chapter’s newest innovation in fundraising, Students of the Year, more than 20 motivated high school students raised upwards of $460,000 for LLS’s cutting-edge cancer research and patient services. Emma Boczkowski of Evanston Township High School in Evanston, IL, raised the most funds across the Chicagoland area and earned the winning title, “Student of the Year.” This fundraising superstar raised funds to support LLS’s goal to find cures for blood cancers and ensure that patients have access to lifesaving treatments.

Students of the Year, presented by Horizon Therapeutics, is a seven-week philanthropic leadership development program during which students foster professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management in order to raise funds for LLS, a global leader in the fight against cancer. The title Student(s) of the Year is awarded to the candidate or co-candidates in each community who raises the most funds during the competition. Top local fundraisers become eligible to win the national title. The students raise money in honor of a local patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer.

When Boczkowski learned she was named the local Student of the Year, she was thrilled, “I’m honored to be named the Illinois Chapter’s local Student of the Year,” said Boczkowski. “Students of the Year was an inspiring journey in which I learned the power of working together as a team for a cause. Not just my team but actually the meaningful impact we had as a group of candidates in fundraising for LLS and raising awareness to advance the mission to cure cancer!”

“Congratulations to Emma Boczkowski and all our candidates, supporters and volunteers who helped to make Students of the Year a huge success,” said Breana Shawver, LLS’s Illinois executive director. “For these incredible individuals, it’s not just about winning a title; it’s all about the impact they are making in their communities and the generations ahead of them. From The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s beginning 70 years ago with the development of new treatments for childhood leukemia to today’s advances in precision medicine and immunotherapy, LLS has led the way in changing the way we treat cancer and care for patients.”

Other top campaign fundraisers included the team Why Don’t We Cure Cancer led by candidate Brooke Kielczynski of Lockport Township High School and The Wolfpack, led by candidates Ben, Maddie and Owen Koehl of St. Ignatius College Prep.

To learn more about LLS’s Students of the Year program and how it might work for you or someone you know, visit: www.studentseries.org.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

 

The Illinois Chapter is located at 954 W Washington Blvd., Suite 305, Chicago IL 60607.

For additional information visit lls.org/il. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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