There are 150,000 people diagnosed with blood cancer annually. It is a challenge that shapes personal lives, families, relationships, and the way we see the world. It is very likely that you too have somehow had a connection to blood cancer. As juniors at Briarcliff High School, Lila Fenimore and Jessica Boder are running as Student Visionaries of the Year candidates with Blood Cancer United because to them, this cause is deeply personal, and they believe students can make a real difference.
At a young age, Lila lost her grandfather to leukemia. His loss left a sense of emptiness in her family, and the impact of his diagnosis extends past his lifetime. With more research and more effective treatments, she often wonders if they might have had more time. In his honor, Lila ran as a Student Visionary candidate in 2025, raising over $28,000 for blood cancer research. That funding supported approximately 14 weeks of lifesaving research, and in her campaign, she discovered how powerful community support can be.
Jessica’s connection to this cause is just as close to home. Her father has faced lymphoma and, thankfully, is currently in remission. Living alongside the uncertainty of cancer has shaped her family’s daily life and they are reminded every day of the terror it brings to many around the world. Blood cancer advocacy runs deep in her family’s history. Her brother, Jared Boder, ran as a Student Visionary candidate in 2020 and won his campaign. Seeing firsthand the effect of her brother’s philanthropy prompted Jessica to step forward herself.
Together, they decided to run as a team.
The Student Visionary of the Year campaign is a seven-week fundraising initiative that challenges high school students to act as leaders, advocates, and change-makers. Throughout the campaign, students reach out to local businesses, organize fundraising events, and make personal asks to friends, family, and the community at large. While the timeline is short, the impact is forever lasting. Every dollar raised goes directly towards research and patient support that brings researchers closer to curing blood cancers.
The campaign is arduous and intimidating but those challenges are incomparable to what patients and families face every day. The terrors of blood cancer keep the passion alive for Jessica and Lila.
Lila and Jessica have been inspired by the generosity of their community. From small donations to large sponsorships, every contribution represents hope. It represents belief in a future where fewer families receive devastating diagnoses, and more patients have access to effective, life-saving care.
Lila and Jessica are sharing their story not just to raise awareness, but to invite others to join them. They are asking supporters to consider donating to their Student Visionary of the Year campaign. Donations can be made using the QR code above, or at bit.ly/4a8Hwrk. Every contribution helps move research forward.
Blood cancer has taken too much from too many families. But together, through education and advocacy we can help change that. When a community comes together, extraordinary things are possible.
