Two New Jersey high school students are leading a fundraising campaign for blood cancer research through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
Mira Lalani, a sophomore at Kent Place School, and Alisa Sahovic, a junior at Millburn High School, are the team leaders for North Jersey’s Team Blood Bound. The group is part of LLS’s Student Visionaries of the Year campaign, a fundraising initiative that began on Jan. 8.
Lalani and Sahovic are organizing an auction at top-rated NJ restaurant Common Lot in Millburn on February 20. Proceeds will support LLS’s mission, which focuses on patient support, research and advocacy.
Leadership and Motivation
Lalani joined the campaign to spread awareness. Her grandfather’s passing from lung cancer in 2022 reinforced her commitment to supporting cancer research in any way she can.
“Although LLS does not solely focus on this particular cancer, all of the funds and positive impacts help patients throughout the healthcare system,” Lalani said. “This devastating loss has given me the strength and determination to lead a campaign to help cancer patients.”
Sahovic was motivated by her grandfather’s struggle with sinus cancer, which he has battled since 2014. Separated from him by distance, she joined LLS to help families facing similar challenges.
“It can be difficult for many to be there for their affected loved ones and having experienced this, I want to make the biggest impact possible on furthering research and efforts to find a cure to this terrible disease,” Sahovic said.
Fundraising Efforts
The team has set their goal at $100,000. Along with the auction, they have partnered with Sonny’s Kitchen in Chatham to further raise funds. Until March 1, customers who mention Team Blood Bound when ordering dine-in or takeout will contribute 15% of proceeds to the campaign.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Mission
LLS funds research in immunotherapy, genomics and personalized medicine while offering support services to patients and families. The organization also advocates for policy changes to improve access to treatments.
Lalani and Sahovic encourage the community to attend the auction or support their fundraiser through donations.
“Every contribution brings us closer to a world without cancer,” they stated.
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