Students lead the way for LLS 2023

Students of the Year campaign

By Chuck Gibson  

LOVELAND, OH (February 1, 2023) – The annual Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student of the Year fundraising campaign officially starts today.

Three Loveland High School students, with the guidance of teacher advisor Ms. Katie Rose, have joined together to form version 4.0 of LHS Team CoUREage. The three juniors leading the way as candidates for the “Student Visionaries of the Year campaign are Emma Steiner, Marcel Mangan, and Orhan Ozbudak. Fundraising begins today, Wednesday, February 1, 2023 and continues through March 25th.

The annual LLS-SOY campaign is a seven week competition among students from high schools across the Cincinnati area. 

LHS Team CoUREage 4.0 is just one of 15 teams raising money during this LLS fundraising campaign. Money they raise will support blood cancer research, advocacy, patient support, and ultimately, a cure. It is more than a competition among these 15 student team. It is a joint effort to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s effort to find a cure.

Team CoUREage 4.0, is more than LHS juniors Steiner, Mangan, Ozbudak. It includes a total roster of 30 members with other Loveland Schools students they’ve engaged as volunteers to assist their efforts. In fact, they’ve built a solid foundation of community support for this 2023 campaign. They dug-in back in August, developing partnerships with local business leaders securing sponsorships, auction items, and already scheduling 10 events to help raise money for LLS. With the help of these partnerships, community donations, t-shirt sales and the Grand Finale, they hope to achieve their goal to raise $100,000 during the seven-week campaign.  

Each of the student leaders has their own story. Emma Steiner’s story begins with a favorite Loveland Middle School teacher and mentor, Ms. Katie Rose, who just happens to be the faculty liaison for the LLS-SOY campaign at Loveland High School. Steiner explained Ms. Rose lost her aunt to Leukemia.

“A couple years later, I was asked to join Loveland’s 2022 team to fundraise for Team CoUREage 3.0.,” said Steiner. “While fundraising, I got to hear so many touching stories of people affected by blood cancer.”

It was enough to inspire Steiner and accept the nomination for her role as a candidate for the 2023 campaign.  Though she doesn’t have a direct connection to blood cancer, her grandpa passed away just last year after a battle with cancer.

“I fight so that other families don’t have to experience what mine went through,” Steiner said. “Although winning the title of “Student Visionary of the Year” is such a great honor, it is more of an honor to be able to help those affected by blood cancer and see firsthand the impact that fundraising can have for cancer patients.”

Steiner says their goal goes beyond the fundraising to also increase awareness of blood cancer and the work LLS is doing to fight the disease. Any donation helps bring them closer to their goal of making a difference for blood cancer patients.

“Thank you to all of the businesses that are sponsoring our campaign, and thank you to all of the people in Loveland who have shown continuous support for our fundraiser,” she said speaking for the entire team. “Marcel, Orhan and I are thankful for the 30 team members that are helping us throughout this campaign.”

A note about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – LLS:  LLS is uniquely able to report on the many advances and accomplishments that have occurred since their founding in 1949. From cutting-edge research and precision medicine innovations to legislative victories that improve access to therapies for cancer patients, LLS plays a leading- and often pioneering- role in the fight against blood cancers. 

Since 2000, approximately 40 percent of all U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved cancer drugs were for blood cancer, and some are now used to treat other forms of cancer and non-malignant diseases. A “win” for blood cancers, therefore, is a win for the cancer community overall.

Marcel Mangan was hesitant when first asked to join last year. Like Steiner, he did not have a direct connection to leukemia or lymphoma. Some personal research helped him change his mind and join Grace Dressel and Claire Zeigler, the LHS candidates one year ago.

“After researching the stories of those who have had to deal with these blood cancers I felt it necessary that I join,” said Mangan.  “The most touching story that I heard was about a girl named Emily Love who had been diagnosed with leukemia when she was only one year old.  Luckily she recovered after three years and was able to live a normal life, but sadly those years of her childhood can never be given back to her.”

 After hearing her story, he joined the 2022 campaign, and has been a part of it even since. 

“I just hope that my fundraising can help make a positive impact on those suffering from leukemia or lymphoma,” Marcel Mangan, LHS junior candidate for LLS-SOY 

Orhan Ozbudak came by way of another path. He has always been involved in philanthropic events. In fact, he goes as far as to say he hopes to continue as an active philanthropist into the future.

“One of my dreams is to create businesses that illuminate warmth and help people,” said Ozbudak.  “When Marcel and Emma invited me to become a candidate for Team CoUREage 4.0, I knew this was an opportunity for me to positively impact not only people affected by blood cancer but also the world.”

Still, like Mangan and Steiner, Ozbudak felt some initial hesitation to join before realizing the rare opportunity and the honor in being invited to serve in such a position.

“I knew I couldn’t say no,” Ozbudak said. “I am very thankful to participate in the Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign as a candidate.I am very appreciative of all the progress we have made and can’t wait to see what our team will accomplish throughout this journey. Hopefully, our efforts will also serve to inspire people to carry on this positivity.”

Here is how you can support Team CoUREage 4.0:

• Make a charitable donation using the team’s online fundraising page: https://events.lls.org/soh/svoycincy23/tcoureage4
• Purchase a t-shirt: USE the T-Shirt Order Form
• Follow on social media:
• Instagram: @lovelandteamcoureage4.0       Twitter: @teamcoureage4
• Donate an auction basket or item or become a Grand Finale sponsor (contact Emma Steiner 513-630-5610)
• Attend events and mention Team CoUREage 4.0 when ordering. Most events will have raffle baskets!!

Here is a list of planned events:

2/1-2/21 Buffalo Wild Wings11363 Montgomery Rd

10% giveback on dine in or carry out all day if you mention “Team L”

2/4 LHS Basketball Game LLS Minute Challenge at Halftime Loveland High School

2/8 Raising Cane’s3901 Montgomery Rd2pm-9pm

2/11 LLS Hearts A Fire Booth Downtown Loveland

2/13 Cartridge Brewing1411 Grandin Rd4pm-10pm

2/22 Ramsey’s Trailside200 W Loveland Ave

2/27 Dewey’s Pizza11338 Montgomery Rd

3/4 Athlete Instincts Fitness Fundraiser774 Loveland-Miamiville Rd10:30am

$10 to sign up, text Jen Steiner 513-289-6393 to sign up

3/10 Cappy’s Wine & Spirits5pm-11pmLIVE MUSIC starts at 7:30pm

3/11 (TBD) Monkey Bar

3/12 Red Bandana 5k Walk/Run Nisbet Park3pmText Jen Steiner 513-289-6393 to sign-up

3/15 The Work’s Brick Pizza Oven20 Grear Millitzer Pl ALL DAY

Each of the students involved have been inspired by Loveland Middle School teacher Ms. Katie Rose.

Here is her answer to “Why?” in her own words:

My “why” is my Aunt Tina Eubanks, who died of AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) only three weeks after being diagnosed at the age of 53. I had been fundraising for LLS through Pennies for Patients with Loveland Middle School Student Council for many years and would always tell people, “You never know when cancer will touch your family”. Well, it has not only touched my Aunt Tina, but another of my aunts is currently battling both lung and liver cancer. Sadly, this cancer diagnosis is her third – lymphoma and rectal cancer being two she defeated. People often ask why I work so hard to fundraise. The answer is simple. As long as there is breath in my lungs and blood in my veins, I will do whatever it takes to help those who are impacted by cancer. Cancer needs to be eradicated and LLS is the organization making the greatest strides in funding research and advancing new drugs to help those in need. I live a life of service, and by teaching my current and former students the importance of giving back and how to raise money for a worthy cause allows me to fulfill my life’s purpose.

The LLS-SOY campaing runs now throuh March 25, 2023. 

REMEMBER: Donate at: https://events.lls.org/soh/svoycincy23/tcoureage4