506,025. That is the number that fills the screen at the Blood Cancer United Student Visionaries of the Year Grand Finale Gala. Applause fills the air at the amount of money that this program raised. One Bowie student claps not only for those around her but for herself.

Olivia Musitano was involved in a seven-week fundraiser for Blood Cancer United. She was a part of their student visionaries of the year program. According to Blood Cancer United, this program is a philanthropic leadership opportunity for high school students, with the ultimate goal of creating a world without blood cancers.

“I’ve always wanted to apply and fundraise with the student visionaries program,” Musitano said. “My mom works at Blood Cancer United, so she has a lot of connections and got me in contact with different organizers. But you don’t need an inside source to apply. The application is open on their website to anyone interested.”

As the Vice President, Community Engagement & Stewardship. Whitney Musitano has been working with the organization for 15 years, supporting Executive Directors and staff across their 27 regions throughout the country.

“Olivia has essentially grown up in and around Blood Cancer United,” Whitney said. “She has always heard about the Student Visionaries of the Year campaign, and a couple of years ago, we began talking about whether or not she might be interested in participating once she was in high school. Last year, we attended the Grand Finale Gala, and she committed to being a candidate the next year on the spot.”

To both mother and daughter, being involved in the organization has a bittersweet meaning. Olivia lost her grandmother (Whitney’s mother) to brain cancer in 2017, so she has seen firsthand the struggles that cancer patients go through. According to Olivia, that fact, combined with her desire to be involved in the organization she grew up around, spurred her to join this program.

“Knowing that I have made an impact feels amazing to me,” Olivia said. “Cancer affects so many people, and seeing my grandma get good care, especially when she was in hospice, was important to me, so I want to make sure other people are cared for as well.”

Olivia and her mom weren’t the only ones involved in this process. Olivia had a team composed of an advisor and another Bowie student. Ava Dimmit is a junior and close friend of Olivia’s and when asked to join she jumped at the chance.

“We had a meeting talking about all the rules,” Dimmit said. “We also had to set up an account through blood cancer united and write a paragraph about us and why we want people to donate. We set all this up in October, but then the actual seven week process didn’t start until January.”

Before a single dollar was raised, Olivia and her team had to map out their entire campaign, deciding what would resonate most, and how to reach their community. From organizing outreach to coordinating logistics, the process required constant communication and flexibility.

“I committed to partnering with Olivia on this from the start,” Whitney said. “As her parent, I attended all the planning meetings with her and helped her decide on realistic goals for her participation. Helped her brainstorm potential connections and sponsorships, and organize our family contact list.”

Once the plans were set, the real challenge began. In January the seven-week sprint kicked off. According to Olivia each week brought new goals, events, and pressures, as Olivia and her team worked to keep momentum alive while balancing school and daily life.

“Even though we had done a lot of planning, when that seven-week period started it felt like crunch time,” Olivia said. “The money started coming in pretty fast at first but then as the weeks dragged on our donations started to slow down. So we had to really push ourselves in order to raise enough. Another way of motivation was that each week we would have challenges where you could get incentives to add more to our total so you had to put in even more work on top of what you are doing already”

According to Dimmit and Olivia’s advisor Carly Powne fundraising wasn’t just a one-time effort but a continuous cycle of outreach, tracking progress, and adjusting strategies. 

“Olivia and Ava wrote letters, called businesses, called friends and family to ask for donations,” Powne said. “They sent weekly emails and texts, and utilized their networks to share awareness and get as many donations as they could.”

As the weeks went on, the campaign became more than just a project. To Olivia and Dimmit it turned into a test of dedication and teamwork, where every call made, post shared, and email sent pushed them closer to their final goal of 25,000 dollars.

“We opened up our home for team meetings and provided her with moral and tactical support through each week of the campaign,” Whitney said. “We would both personally reach out to potential donors through emails, calls, and texts. We posted on social media to reach my network of contacts. We met weekly with our campaign staff from Blood Cancer United who helped guide us through each piece and provided practical support for how to maximize our fundraising efforts and were with us every step of the way.”

After seven weeks of nonstop effort, the campaign reached its final moment at the Grand Finale Gala, where all this started a year ago. They kept fundraising up to the final few minutes with a live auction.

“We were able to raise money while actively at the gala,” Dimmit said. “There were care packages, and other prizes to bid on. Then at around 7pm we sat tables with our team and it was really cool to see the other teams around us because it reminded me that we all worked to reach one big goal.”

While the final total was impressive the value lies in what it makes possible. The funds raised through the Student Visionaries of the Year program support research, patient services, and access to care for those affected by blood cancer.

“The mission of Blood Cancer United is to cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families,” Powne said. “We support 3 mission pillars: research, patient education and support, and advocacy.  We fund lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provide free information and support services for patients and their families, and are the voice for those seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. The money raised goes into a big pot to help all of these areas.  When a candidate team raises over $50,000 they can choose a portfolio to link their donations to, otherwise it is used to help all patients and their families through these areas.”

Even as the campaign comes to a close, Olivia isn’t stepping away. She’s already looking ahead. Inspired by her experience she plans to stay involved with Blood Cancer United as part of the Junior Leadership Committee for Student Visionaries of the Year in Austin. She will be helping guide future candidates and encouraging other students to join the program.

“It’s an incredible opportunity,” Whitney said. “Being a Student Visionary is a chance to step up, use your voice, and make a real difference in your community. You get to lead your own campaign, work with friends, and turn your ideas into action all while supporting people and families affected by blood cancer. You don’t have to be an expert or have fundraising experience; you’ll learn as you go with support every step of the way. It’s a powerful way to build confidence, leadership skills, and purpose. Aside from doing good, you also have the opportunity to earn a letter of recommendation from Blood Cancer United, fulfill volunteer service hours, and it looks fantastic on college applications.