Balboa Elementary Students Raise Over $7700 In 1st Pennies For Patients Campaign

Do you need a dose of inspiration for the day? Balboa Elementary's principal, Dr. Sona Arakelyan, shared an incredible story. On the very day she spoke to her staff about bringing a student philanthropy program to Balboa Elementary, she received a call from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients team. "It was a sign that this was meant to be," said Dr. Arakelyan.

"It was a privilege to be invited to Balboa's monthly spirit rally to thank the students, teachers, parents and administrators of this incredible elementary school. The Balboa community is committed to finding cancer cures and they are now part of our hero squad," said Shannon Sullivan, Executive Director of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's California Southland Chapter.

Balboa Elementary is part of the Glendale Unified School District. They are one of more than 850 schools participating in the California Southland Chapter's Student Series program. We are grateful to the estimated 1 million students who will help us reach our goal of raising one million dollars this school year to find cancer cures. You are our heroes!

ABOUT PENNIES FOR PATIENTS

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Pennies for Patients program inspires elementary and middle schools to support our vision of a world without cancer. Through this program, students learn about the importance of giving back as well as the science behind cancer research through a unique STEM curriculum. Learn more at http://www.studentseries.org/participate/elementary-schools.

ABOUT THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research, finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients. Since 1949, The LLS has been on the forefront of blood cancer advances such as chemotherapies and stem cell transplantation leading the way to the targeted therapies and immunotherapies that are saving thousands of lives today. LLS is changing the landscape of cancer with more than 300 active research projects that explore different avenues of new and adventurous research; ones with promise and ones that will save lives not someday, but today. Learn more at www.lls.org.

Join the Hero Squad by bringing Pennies for Patients to your school! Please contact Eric Larner at (310) 846-4731 or eric.larner@lls.org.