On February 15, 2022, Magnolia High School students Hanna Avila and Payton Szabo spoke to the Magnolia Rotary Club membership about a Student of the Year (SOY) team that Hanna Avila & Payton Szabo formed to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to raise money and to achieve its mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma as well as improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Pictured above from left to right are: Payton Szabo, Kelly McDonald (President of the Magnolia Rotary Club) and Hanna Avila.
Hanna and Payton told everyone that their SOY team (Children's Cancer Crushers) is made up of 7 members.
Hanna and Payton they showed a number of slides that provided the following information:
- The mission of the LLS: To cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma as well as improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
- The three things that the LLS does with the money raised: Cancer Research, Education & Support and Advocacy.
- Statistics on blood cancer:
- Every 3 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
- Leukemia is the #1 most diagnosed form of childhood cancer.
- Approximately 80% of childhood cancer survivors develop a chronic health condition from their treatment.
- In the last 40 years only 4 blood cancer drugs were created specifically for children.
- Carson Thelen, who died at age 18 with a rare form of muscle cancer, is the team's honored hero. Carson wanted to make a difference by helping other children like himself through research on cancer cures.
- Hanna Avila & Peyton Szabo are candidates for the LLS Student of the Year award. This award is given to the student or student group that raises the most funds for the LLS.
- A little bit about how the team is raising funds: online donations, sponsorships, live auction, products sales and other types of donations.
- The team's goal is to raise $150,000 for the LLS.
Hanna then told everyone that if they want to give online, they can go to Hanna's fundraising website at: https://events.lls.org/txg/houstonsoy22/havila. Donations are tax deductible.
Hanna and Payton then told everyone that if anyone had any questions or if anyone (or someone they know) is willing to donate goods or services for auction items, sponsorships, ads, or other possible fundraising opportunities to cont at Hanna at hannaavila.lls@gmail.com or visit https://studentsoftheyear.org/students-year-houston-1.
