“I’m striving towards a $50,000 fundraising goal and I’m only about 32% of the way there with only a few weeks left of the competition,” shares former KDHamptons college intern, Marie Goldstein who has been nominated by the East End community to run as a candidate in the Man & Woman of the Year campaign for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  “This is a cause that is so important to me and my family as we are remembering and celebrating those we’ve recently lost to Cancer. Recently, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has funded groundbreaking research for a cure to Cancer. If we all join forces, the journey to a cure may not be as far as we all think it is.” I hope my KDHamptons readers will help support Marie achieve her goal. We are proud of you Marie!

Marie adds, “I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime. I have This is a 10-week fundraising campaign, where every dollar counts as one vote.  All money raised will go directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in support of its longstanding mission to find a cure for blood cancers and improve the quality of life for patients and their families. In my short 23 years of life, I’ve seen cancer change the lives of too many people that are close to me. I chose to support LLS as they are much different from other foundations.

My family is very close— whether you are brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and even in-laws; when something happens, it happens to us all. Growing up, I experienced the joy of each accomplishment and achievement my family members encountered, but I’ve also experienced every painful tragedy. Last July, my uncle Gary lost his brother, Doug, to Pancreatic Cancer, nearly 20 years after he lost his Dad from the same disease. Doug left his four kids and his wife after fighting relentlessly, doing everything in his power not to miss a beat in his children’s lives. As a businessman, president of the Hampton Bays board of education, amazing father, loving husband, and avid fisherman; Doug poured passion into everything he set his mind to. The following September, we lost my cousin Anthony to Stomach Cancer at age 32. Growing up, Anthony acted as an older brother to me, tagging along to our dance recitals, shopping outings, and even family vacations. When Anthony was transferred to Sloan Kettering in New York, I visited often. Though he remained positive, upbeat, and hilariously comical; he was fighting harder than the eye could see.

Unfortunately, Anthony and I never got to all of the exciting adventures he had planned for us, Cancer ruined our plans. The traumatic sadness that I felt when Anthony lost his battle to Cancer made me realize that no matter how healthy you are, how much you exercise, how well you eat, how much money you have, or your religion; Cancer does not discriminate.  I’m running for Woman of the Year for all those past, current, and future that have, are, and will battle this terrible disease. I’m not a doctor, so I thought I couldn’t do anything to help but I was so wrong. Donating as little as $10 helps an LLS-funded researcher grow cells in a lab for a week, to understand how well a new cancer therapy might help.  

Here’s How You Can Help: Online Donations: Visit: http://www.mwoy.org/pages/li/li16/mgoldstein and you can Double Your Donation: Visit http://www.matchinggifts.com/LLS to see if your company matches donations

Accessorize: From 3/23-6/2, my entire Stella & Dot commission will be donated to my Woman Of The Year campaign. That is 25% of all sales. Shop HERE: See photo above.

Check Donations: Make a check payable to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with my name, “Marie Goldstein,” in the memo line and mail it to:

The Leukemia & Lymphoma SocietyAttn: Man & Woman of the Year
1324 Motor Parkway, Suite 102
Hauppauge, NY 11749

Attend An Event: 5/14- Happy Hour @ Christopher’s Pub & Eatery (8 Wall St., Huntington, NY)