by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Team CoUREage 4.0 is a Loveland High School fundraising team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Emma Steiner, Marcel Mangan, and Orhan Ozbudak were the leaders of a team of over 25 members with a goal throughout a 7-week campaign that ran from February 1st to March 25th to raise as much money and awareness as possible for blood cancer research. Their goal was to raise $100,000.
They raised $214,301 to help fund cancer research and to support cancer patients. This is a record for fundraising for an individual team in Ohio.
At the gala Saturday night at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason it was announced that a total of $805,365 was raised by all teams.
Emma Steiner said, “My connection to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society began when a favorite middle school teacher of mine, and now mentor, lost her aunt due to Leukemia.” Steiner is a junior at Loveland High School.
Steiner was asked to join Loveland’s Team CoUREage last year. She said, “While fundraising, I got to hear so many touching stories of people affected by blood cancer.” That was more than enough to make her want to accept the nomination to be a candidate for this year’s campaign. “Although I don’t have a direct connection to blood cancer, my grandpa passed away from cancer last year, and I fight so that other families don’t have to experience what my grandpa went through.”
LLS’s Student Visionaries of the Year campaign is a seven-week competition among high schools across the Cincinnati area. Loveland was one of 15 teams raising money for blood cancer research, advocacy, patient support, and ultimately, a cure. However, it is not just a competition among these 15 teams, rather it is a combined effort to help LLS find a cure.
The trio built this year’s campaign using the community as its foundation. Since last August, they have been building partnerships with local businesses securing sponsorships, auction items, and organizing events. So far, they have over 10 events planned to help them raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
They surpassed their goal with secured sponsorships with local businesses, community donations, events, and t-shirt sales. One of the biggest ways that the team fundraised is through donations received by each of their 30 team members.
The goal is to not only raise money for blood cancer but also to raise awareness in our Loveland community about Leukemia and Lymphoma.
Background Info about LLS:
LLS is uniquely able to report on the many advances and accomplishments that have occurred since their founding in 1949. From cutting-edge research and precision medicine innovations to legislative victories that improve access to therapies for cancer patients, LLS plays a leading- and often pioneering- role in the fight against blood cancers. Since 2000, approximately 40 percent of all U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved cancer drugs were for blood cancer, and some are now used to treat other forms of cancer and non-malignant diseases. A “win” for blood cancers, therefore, is a win for the cancer community overall.
