Sara Ali, a rising senior from Little Rock, wanted to find a way she could honor her younger sister Aiza and the struggle she endured battling leukemia.
Aiza was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) near the end of 2017 when she was 7. ALL starats in bone marrow where white blood cells are developed. If undiagnosed and untreated, it can spread quickly to the blood and other parts of a person’s body.
Fortunately for Ali and her family, Aiza’s leukemia was diagnosed in time that chemotherapy treatments were effective. Aiza was declared to be in remission at the end of 2019.
During Aiza’s illness, the family became involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The organization helps families who can’t afford the chemotherapy treatments or transportation to treatment facilities as well as supporting cancer research.
Last year, Aiza was named Girl of the Year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Little Rock chapter. The honor recognizes cancer survivors. This year, Ali decided she would help raise funds for the chapter, saying it was important for her to do.
“It’s extremely meaningful to me especially because I have a personal motive because of my sister,” Ali said. “When I was nominated, it was very meaningful because I truly believed in [the organization]. It felt great to see the change and all of the things that they’ve done.”
The organization holds a yearly fundraising competition called Man and Woman of the Year. There is usually a student division called Student of the Year, but Ali was the only student to sign up for it. Therefore, she was named an Honorary Woman of the Year candidate.
The Man and Woman of the Year candidates raise funds for their chapters. The top fundraiser is then nominated for the state title and competes to move on to the national organization’s event.
Ali set a fundraising goal of $5,000, but just as the fundraising competition was beginning, the COVID-19 pandemic began to grow. That affected her ability to do much fundraising face-to-face, so she initially used social media. Then she turned to people she and her parents knew. She also received sponsorships from the Arkansas Business Alliance and Sarn Holdings, a company that own several Circle K convenience stores throughout central Arkansas.
While she didn’t quite meet her goal, she did raise more than $3,000. She said the best thing about that is the money she raised stays in the state. “It stays in your general location to help families in that area,” she said.
Ali plans to participate in the fundraiser competition again next summer and help with the organization’s other fundraisers, such as Light the Night, a fall fundraiser that features lanterns that are lit in honor of those who have passed.
When it was confirmed that Aiza was in remission, she had the opportunity to ring a bell as she left Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where she received her treatment. “It was joyous,” Ali said. “We had a party, and it was super fun.”
She remembers when Aiza was first diagnosed with leukemia. Ali said it was hard for the whole family, but it really impacted her and her sister. “We always had a close bond, but this helped it grow stronger. It was devastating, but it brought us closer together,” she said.
Aiza’s remission helped her realize what other people go through when a family member is diagnosed with leukemia.
“It makes me want to help them and to get other people to help them,” she said.