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Student sets Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fundraisers April 27, May 4

April 23, 2019

Mackenzie Irelan, a junior at Cape Henlopen High School, is one of this year’s candidates for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Student of the Year.

During a seven-week initiative, select high school students from around the country participate in a fundraising competition to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

She is very proud to be raising critical dollars in honor of a young patient hero who is currently battling or is in remission from a blood cancer. Each dollar is a vote. The candidate team that raises the most money at the end of the seven weeks is named Student of the Year. Her mission is to not only to raise the most money but also to bring attention to blood cancers like leukemia, which is the most common form of cancer in children and teens.

Since the early 1960s, five-year survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. And many LLS-supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are helping patients with other cancers and serious diseases. In fact, drugs first approved for blood cancers are now approved to treat patients with stomach cancers, skin cancers, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

In an effort to raise as much money as possible in such a short amount of time, Mackenzie has organized multiple opportunities for the community to get involved and support the fight against blood cancer. Giving back to her community is very important to her, and in order to be successful in this campaign, she cannot do it alone.

Irelan is selling tickets for the Friday, April 27 Delmarva Shorebirds game which will be a fun night of baseball and incredible fireworks. Throwing out the first pitch will be a brave 10-year-old friend who is in remission.

Tickets must be purchased through Mackenzie, and the proceeds will go to the LLS. Tickets are $10 each.

She is also selling teddy bears with a special LLS sweatshirt that will be donated to the brave kids at A.I. duPont hospital. Mackenzie will be hand-delivering them after the campaign.

Mackenzie will also host a mystery dinner theater at 5 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at the Milton Fire Hall. This will be a fun night to solve a western mystery with Foot Light Productions. Happy hour starts at 5 p.m. with a cash bar, raffles and games. Dinner starts at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door.

To purchase tickets, email macirelan@yahoo.com or call 302-682-3663.

For more information, go to https://events.lls.org/de/southdesoy19/mirelan. All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS-funded research, but will help provide critical information and support for patients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere, Mackenzie extends thanks for all the support.

 

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