Location: Monroe, New York
Connection to Four Diamonds: I am the Executive Chair of Atlas, a Special Interest Organization that benefits THON.
Years of Involvement: I have been involved since the 2012-2013 school year when I was a freshman.
How are/were you involved with Four Diamonds and THON?
I have been involved with THON through Atlas entirely. I have spent the past four and a half years fundraising for THON in a variety of ways. From canning and canvassing to donation boxes and THONvelopes – just to name a few.
I was Atlas’ 2014-2015 Supply and Logistics Captain. I was also the 2015-2016 Alternative Fundraising Chair for Atlas, where I managed to double our fundraising efforts in this area of Atlas. I danced in THON 2016. I was elected Executive Chair of Atlas in March 2016 and will serve until March 2017.
Why is the partnership between Four Diamonds and THON important?
The actual tangible difference that we are making in the lives of children who have battled or are now battling cancer is really incredible. It is one thing to raise a lot of money and send it away, knowing that it will do good things. However, meeting and interacting with the kids that it benefits has made this cause and this partnership as a whole so amazing. We cannot stop fighting to find the cure for pediatric cancer. Yet the emotional support we provide makes this cause an exceptional one, and one I feel very lucky to be a part of.
What is your favorite memory?
I have dozens of memories that stand out to me as so important and some of my favorite memories of my entire life this far. Stepping into the BJC for my first THON weekend, meeting each of our Four Diamonds families for the first time, finding out when Atlas was paired with a new family, touringthe Medical Center in Hershey – the list really goes on and on.
However, one of my favorite memories was when I danced last year. When we sat, I knew the work we had put in to make the most amount of money that we could and support our families in the best ways that we know how. I knew how hard we all worked to get to that moment, and I cried – a lot – because I didn’t want it to be over. That moment spurred me to run for president of Atlas and I have not regretted that decision one bit.
What is your dream for Four Diamonds and THON over the next 40 years?
I’d love to see THON’s immense influence continue to grow. There are THON’s all over the nation at the lower education level all the way up through universities. Seeing the impact that we can have on new areas of research and on kids we may never meet is truly amazing. My dream would be to see this influence grow so that more parents can hear that their children are cancer free.
