Since 2004, this annual fundraising competition that raises money for research and community outreach has taken place in Dayton’s local chapter, and more than 70 other chapters across the country.
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“The thing that is really unique about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is that because we are a blood cancer organization (and because blood goes into every vital organ of the body), the work that we're doing as a research organization is going to find treatments and cures for many other types of cancers and autoimmune diseases,” said Cris Peterson, area director of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “So it's really easy for someone to say I want to get involved because LLS really is curing cancer — not just blood cancers, but other types of cancers as well. So that's really exciting.”
Who are the candidates?
Candidates for Man and Woman of the Year are active members of the community who believe in the mission of the organization. They are chosen by the organization’s executive committee or by other members of the community. These candidates form their own groups in order to raise as much money as they can for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and typically organize events.
Due to the inability to gather because of the coronavirus pandemic, the fundraising efforts of the candidates may look a little different this year. With a virtual grand finale event now set for Friday, June 5, candidates will do their best to hold virtual fundraisers to gather as many donations as they can between now and then.
The man and woman who raise the most money will hold the distinguished title until next year’s event.
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Here are the 2020 Dayton-area candidates:
Konstantine Papadopoulos
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Credit: Contributed
Dr. Akashleena Mallick
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Credit: Contributed
Tiffany Hesselbart
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Credit: Contributed
Amelia Robinson
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Margaret Dunn
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Credit: Contributed
April Kinnett
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Jill Sokolnicki
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Credit: Contributed
Sara White
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Credit: Contributed
Lori Simms Parks
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Credit: Contributed
Greg Wasmund
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Credit: Contributed
Brian LaFreniere
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Credit: Contributed
Learn more about the campaign, and view the individual fundraising pages of each candidate by paying a visit to mwoy.org.
Credit: Max Surikov
Credit: Max Surikov
Meet the Girl and Boy of the Year
Along with crowning a Man and Woman of the Year, the local chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society also showcases a Girl and Boy of the Year who have struggled with some form of blood cancer. The candidates for Man and Woman of the Year do their fundraising runs in honor of these young individuals. This year, the Girl and Boy of the Year are Liv and Henry.
Liv is 4 years old and goes to preschool at St. Charles Borromeo. She was diagnosed with B-Cell ALL in March of 2019, but is currently in remission and in the maintenance phase of her treatment. Liv enjoys crafting, painting, puzzles, helping in the kitchen, dressing up and celebrating the holidays.
Henry is 11 years old and also attends St. Charles Borromeo School. He was diagnosed with T-Cell lymphoblastic lymphoma when he was just 9 years old in June of 2017. Thankfully, Henry completed his chemotherapy two months ago. Henry especially enjoys sports, board games, hanging out with friends and family, reading and performing in musicals.
Helping blood cancer patients
Along with organizing the Man and Woman of the Year campaign, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has also been busy coming up with a way to prioritize the health and safety of all blood cancer patients throughout the pandemic. As of April 16, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has provided 8,572 patients with $2,143,000 worth of assistance.
“What I'm hearing from some of my volunteers is it's really hard to ask people for money now when people are struggling to pay their bills or to put food on the table,” said Peterson. “But I think what's really important is that this this program that we launched is helping people with those basic necessities. It's making a huge impact.”
To learn more about these coronavirus-related efforts or to donate to this cause, pay a visit to lls.org.
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