Jackson Amiruddin, a student at Calhoun High School and an East Meadow native, is tackling blood cancers head-on through leadership and service as a 2025 Student Visionary with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
As part of this leadership development program, Amiruddin will spearhead local fundraising efforts to support critical blood cancer research and enhance patient support services.
The program, run by LLS, is designed specifically for high school students who want to make a meaningful impact in the fight against blood cancers. At its core, the program empowers students to develop and execute their own fundraising campaigns to support LLS’s mission.
Amiruddin, 16, who’s originally from East Meadow and now resides in Merrick, is a junior at Calhoun and part of Bellmore-Merrick’s On Tour Company, the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s magnet drama program. He was diagnosed with cancer at 13 months old and underwent three-and-a-half years of treatment at Winthrop’s Cancer Center for Kids. During that time, he received various chemotherapy treatments, steroids and surgeries. His treatments ended at the age of 4 on Dec. 29, 2012.
Amiruddin was nominated by LLS to be a participant in this year’s Student Visionary program for the Long Island region, after meeting with an advisor from the organization in November of last year. Since then, he’s named two co-captains for his team — Mathias Osback and Donovan Butler, two of his lifelong friends, who both reside in East Meadow — and has been assembling a small squad of additional friends and classmates to help his cause.
The fundraising campaign, which will officially kick off on Feb. 6., will last seven weeks, and Amiruddin will be able to solicit donations through a fundraising link for his specific campaign, as well as fundraise through different events and initiatives.
In an interview with the Herald, Amiruddin, Osback and Butler said they are writing letters, explaining the campaign and why they’re part of it, to as many people as they can think of. Because the holidays just wrapped up, they combed through the list of addresses their families sent holiday cards to as a starting point for their letter-writing campaign.
Although no events are officially booked or set-in-stone, some possible ideas included a raffle and school fundraisers, or partnering on an event with a fellow Student Visionary participant who lives in Bellmore, Amiruddin said. His team is mostly based in the Merrick-East Meadow area.
“We’re going to hold various events, raise funds, and the letters (that were sent to family and friends) will have our fundraising links on them,” he explained.
A couple of upcoming events at Calhoun could also possibly function partly as fundraisers for his cause, he added, although nothing is official.
At the end of the seven-week period, a grand finale celebration is scheduled, and the total funds raised by candidate teams, as well as the top fundraising teams, will be revealed. Although all teams will make meaningful contributions to the cause of LLS, they’re also competing for Student Visionary of the Year titles — which are the campaign’s top fundraisers from across the country.
The overall program seeks to foster skills like networking, financial planning and public speaking and empower students to be part of the last generation to witness cancer.
Amiruddin’s friends and co-captains said they are eager to be part of this important cause.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to do something good,” Butler said, “and also something as a resume booster. I didn’t see any negatives that could come out of this.”
“Like Donovan,” Osback added, “I didn’t really see any reason not (to) participate. Jackson has been one of my best friends for basically all my life, so the moment he texted me asking for a favor — for something he wanted to do — I was quick to say yes.”
Amiruddin said he decided to be a part of this program to help the kids currently fighting cancer.
“I’m doing it for the children who are still in the hospitals, who are dealing with or going through what I went through,” he said. “I want to try to make their experience better.”
His mom, Kristy Amiruddin, echoed those sentiments.
“When he was going through his treatment, we were stunned by how many people and organizations stepped up to help us get through it,” she said. “LLS was one of those organizations, and now Jackson wants to give back. He hopes by running for Student Visionary, he can make a horrific time a little better, easier, for sick kids and their families.”
To follow his journey, Amiruddin’s fundraising link goes live on Feb. 6 at 12:01 a.m. To donate, visit Events.LLS.org/LI/SVoyLi25/JAmirrudin.