PLEASANTON WEEKLY -- Every single person is affected by cancer, says survivor Kaitlin Gallagher, 20.
“When I give speeches, I always say, ‘Raise your hand if you know someone who has or has had cancer,’” Gallagher said. “Every single person in the room will raise their hand.”
She is raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Every dollar donated to fight cancer counts, she pointed out, as does every minute volunteered for the cause.
Gallagher was 15, in the middle of her sophomore year at Amador Valley High, when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia after having chronic back and leg pains and a lump in her throat.
Gallagher is finishing her junior year at San Francisco State University, majoring in communications with a marketing minor. This summer, she is an intern at NBC in San Jose for the second year. She is unsure what her career will be but knows her avocation will continue to help others who have cancer.
Photo by Marielle Hayes