MARIEMONT, Ohio — Three Mariemont High School students are taking a stand against blood cancers through their involvement in the LLS Student Visionaries of the Year campaign.
They're leading the Warriors for a Cure, one of 20 teams across Cincinnati participating in an initiative to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The group says one person in the U.S. is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma about every three minutes.
Warriors for a Cure leaders Will Haugh and Ethan and Parker Goellner said they joined the cause after seeing loved ones battle blood cancers from a young age.
“One of my teammates' dads was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which is a type of cancer,” said Ethan Goellner. “I felt like I needed to do something to make an impact or help cure this cancer.”
For the past seven weeks, their group of 50 students has spearheaded fundraising activities and raised awareness about these diseases, striving to make a change within their community.
WATCH: Learn more about their efforts here
The campaign kicked off on Jan. 23 and will end March 14. With a goal of raising $80,000 for this year's campaign, Warriors for a Cure is actively seeking the community's support. The group has partnered with local and corporate businesses to raise money.
Once the campaign ends, the 20 teams across 24 Tri-State schools will gather for a celebration to recognize those who have successfully raised the most funds.
“We're still going to do events and all that and try to get people younger than us to come up and replace our roles to keep this movement going,” Parker Goellner said.
Warriors for a Cure was also influenced by The DARE to Dream LLS project. It aims to provide non-toxic treatments for children suffering from blood cancers, as most treatments are designed for adults. The group hopes to meet their goal before their deadline after raising $60,000 so far.
"Parker, Will and Ethan, have really just hit the ground running, their passion was clear they wanted to make a difference in the community, and they got a huge team behind them," said Emily Kwapniowski, Campaign Development Manager for Cincinnati Student Visionaries of the Year. "It's been so inspirational to help them through this journey and to watch as they get their community rallied around what they are doing, it's been wonderful to be a part of it."
Warriors for a Cure's next fundraiser is at Mango Tree Thai and Sushi on Thursday, March 13 in Mariemont.
