Eastlake students aim to raise $20K for blood cancer awareness
Eastlake junior Pari Cheluva had a family member who was diagnosed with blood cancer at 43. It was her dad’s cousin, and to Cheluva, what was once a distant worry suddenly became real, bringing fear and uncertainty with it. She remembers how her house felt tense, and that at any moment the phone could ring with updates on her condition. At one point, her relative needed a bone marrow transplant.
As Cheluva went through that experience, she recognized that there was a gap in knowledge and discussion on blood cancer in the community. Cheluva got together with another junior at Eastlake, Rianna Mohindra, and started Light the Fight, a student organization that is trying to spread awareness around blood cancers such as Leukemia and Lymphoma.
Now, in its second year, their Light the Fight fundraiser and awareness campaign began on Jan. 22 and will continue through March 13.
The initial spark for their fundraiser came when Mohindra and Cheluva saw their friend do a similar campaign as part of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club. They started Light the Fight as a HOSA project. It has since grown, becoming a much larger student-led campaign with 15 others pitching in.
Light the Fight partners with Blood Cancer United to spread awareness through workshops, partnerships with local organizations, and activities meant to teach the community about this disease.
A big part of their campaign events involves fundraising for Blood Cancer United to support patients and research. Throughout their seven-week campaign last year, Light the Fight raised over $18,000. This year, their campaign started with a bang, raising around $4,000 in the first two days. They hope to reach more than $20,000 by their March 13 deadline.
To raise money, the two teens are planning a multitude of events. For instance, they partnered with Eastlake’s National Honor Society to host an awareness session during a club meeting. They are now planning to collaborate on a future event with Bloodworks Northwest, a regional blood bank.
“We know that the money that we’re fundraising goes directly towards a cause that’s supporting patients. It’s through research, patient support, and advocacy,” Mohindra said.
When they started Light the Fight in 2024, Mohindra and Cheluva focused only on collaborating with other Eastlake clubs. They have since broadened their partnerships to include businesses in the Puget Sound region. A recent event with Pickleball Kingdom in Lynnwood featured over 50 attendees. It involved a 30-minute presentation about their mission that was delivered after a pickleball recreational session.
During their presentations, Cheluva and Mohindra usually cover the physical effects of blood cancer and potential methods for advocacy. They often use presentations as opportunities to share stories of blood cancer patients.
Cheluva hopes that by sharing stories from the community, their efforts can help create empathy and start more dialogue. A defining moment for them was when they shared the story of a local 4-year-old girl who has been battling blood cancer since she was two.
“You see someone who had blood cancer; you’re hearing their story but actually understanding what fully happened to her…was really impactful,” Cheluva said.
Even as they prepare to eventually head to college, Mohindra and Cheluva hope Light the Fight will continue to grow. They plan to turn Light the Fight into its own nonprofit, involve more than 20 students next year, and pass leadership responsibilities to younger students.
“It doesn’t matter what age you are to make a difference,” Mohindra said. “And when you are really passionate about something, people will take you seriously.”
