Earlier this month, Nomura Preschool joined 400 other schools across the Bay Area in a program to raise funds for lifesaving cancer research, as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Pennies for Patients program. From April 1st to the 12th, students collected spare change to support LLS’s mission: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
In these two weeks, Nomura students learned about service, leadership and philanthropy. They found spare change in the couch cushions and in coat pockets and saw how a simple collection, put to the right 
place, could better the lives of others. For blood cancer patients, the donations collected are vitally important. Many LLS-funded advances are already helping patients beyond those for whom they were originally developed, including patients with solid tumors and auto-immune disease.
To start the campaign, a representative from LLS led a kick-off assembly designed to get the kids excited for the fundraiser. Then the students helped create and decorate a collection box for each classroom. Students began collecting spare change to school to fill up their class collection jar.
The kids raised a whopping $535.76! And some parents and teachers have also indicated they will make additional donations through the LLS website. As the two-week period came to a close, we celebrated the students’ contributions with an ice cream party. Yum, doing good makes everything a little sweeter!
If you’re interested in donating to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, visit their website.
