In the fight against blood cancers, two remarkable students from Notre Dame High School, Kate Moog ’27 and Katie Graham ‘27, have joined forces to form Team K&K for a Cure and are officially running as candidates for the prestigious Student of the Year title with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). This dynamic duo dedicates their time, passion, and energy to raise critical funds and awareness to help find a cure for blood cancers, which affect thousands of families annually.
Formally the iconic “Students of the Year” campaign, Student Visionaries of the Year (SVOY) is a groundbreaking leadership development program for high school students. As part of this campaign, Kate and Katie are mobilizing their community and rallying supporters to join their mission. Throughout the 7-week fundraising competition, Team K&K for a Cure will work tirelessly to inspire donations, host events, and educate others about the importance of supporting LLS’s research and patient programs.
Kate and Katie are joined by several of their peers from Notre Dame High School, as well as students from Lawrence High School, Lawrence Middle School, Princeton High School, and Princeton Day School. These students will come together as a team to support others impacted by this terrible disease, with a goal of raising $100,000 in just seven weeks, beginning January 22 through March 15, 2025.
“Our campaign is inspired by my mom, Jen, who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2014. Thankfully my mom is in remission now but there is no cure for Myeloma and we won’t rest until there is” said Kate.
Katie shares why this is important to her, saying, “We would be so grateful for the support of our community in this journey. Every dollar donated makes a difference, bringing us closer to a cure.”
Kate and Katie are standout student leaders and honors students who excel academically while balancing extracurriculars. Both are members of the Notre Dame soccer program, with Kate also playing basketball and lacrosse for the Irish. Their experiences have developed teamwork, discipline, and resilience—qualities they are now applying to their campaign.
“These incredible student leaders are helping LLS work towards achieving our bold goal: By 2040, LLS will enable blood cancer patients across the country to gain more than one million years of life,” said Jana Boyer, Executive Director of LLS’s New Jersey Region. “This ambitious future is guided by LLS’s commitment to cure blood cancer and support all those impacted by it — and is achievable with the continued dedication of everyone involved in Student Visionaries of The Year.”
In addition to fundraising, Students Visionaries of the Year candidates learn invaluable skills through guidance and mentoring, fostering professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management. LLS’s signature fundraisers have helped invest more than $1.6 billion in cutting-edge research worldwide, fueling nearly every critical advancement in blood cancer treatment that spans the most promising cancer research.
Despite the progress, more than a third of blood cancer patients still do not survive five years after their diagnosis.
Please visit their team’s fundraising page to make a tax-deductible donation to their campaign or you can mail a check, payable to LLS, with “Team K&K for a Cure” written in the memo line. Their campaign runs seven weeks, from January 15 to March 22, 2025.
You can follow their campaign on Instagram @kandkforacure
To learn more about Student Visionaries of the Year and how you or someone you know can get involved, visit, www.llsstudentvisionaries.org.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the global leader in the fight against blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world provides free information and support services and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
Team K&K for a Cure Team Members:
Katie Graham, Notre Dame High School
Kate Moog, Notre Dame High School
Clare Barlag, Princeton High School
Emerson Barker, Princeton High School
Emily Burns, Lawrence High School
Charlie Cohen, Lawrence High School
Ava Fairbanks, Princeton Day School
Lily McHale, Notre Dame High School
Jake Moog, Notre Dame High School
Shea Moog, Lawrence Middle School
Tessa Schuler, Notre Dame High School
Bailey Schafer, Lawrence High School
Brooke Vesay, Notre Dame High School