KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Grand Final for The Man and Woman of the Year campaign has been postponed from this Friday to late June.
The campaign supports The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society which continues its mission year round.
"We're just looking forward to having a good year, completing it, and celebrating our amazing candidates than have all been running in honor or memory of someone this year," Lori Friel said. She is the Campaign Manager for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Local candidates are raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The top fundraisers are awarded the prestigious titles of Man of the Year and Woman of the Year.
• Adam King – Keystone Mortgage
• Adam O'Dell – UT Haslam College of Business
• Adrian Hall – Movement Mortgage
• Krystal Goodman – Kwik, Klean, Kitchen/Orange Theory
• Laura Benton – Community Volunteer
• Samyah Jubran – Knox County District Attorney's Office
• Stacy Hillenbrand – Helen Ross McNabb
• Tiffany Gardner – First Horizon
• Tony White – CNS Y-12
Each year the philanthropic competition honors two children who are blood cancer survivors.
"We have a boy and a girl of the year and this year we have an amazing boy in Alex Grappin. He's nine years old. And we have an adorable girl, Kenadee Coffman, who just lights up the room and is everything that a little girl is. But the two of them are currently receiving treatment for their leukemia and their lymphoma at Children's Hospital. And they still have to go to clinic. And they still need treatment even though in the middle of a pandemic," she said.
The coronavirus pandemic has extended the fundraising deadline.
The Man and Woman of the Year Grand Finale originally set for May 1st is now rescheduled for June 26.
"We have decided to make that a virtual Grand Finale, which is something obviously we have never done. But there are many organizations now that are going virtual and so we are going to make this as fun as we can and recognize our candidates and their hard work," she said.
The hard work of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society continues to find a cure and support patients and their families.
"Our message," she said "is cancer is not canceled. And yes we are all struggling and people are losing their jobs but we have cancer patients that we are still trying to support and help and they need us."
LLS has expanded its mission with COVID-19 fiancial assistance.
"We are giving every cancer patient, blood cancer patient, who is receiving treatment and under a doctor's care $250," seh said.
In Tennessee, about 165 patients have been helped as cancer doesn't take a break, even for the coronavirus.
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