A Jim Thorpe woman has raised $84,114 in memory of her brother who died of leukemia at age 15.

Heather Formica was an honorary candidate in the 2021 Lehigh Valley Man & Woman of the Year campaign.

During a spirited 10-week fundraising period beginning with a virtual kickoff celebration, candidates across the country competed in honor of a local boy or girl who is a blood cancer survivor to raise the most funds to ensure a world without blood cancers.

Formica set out to raise $50,000 in memory of her brother, David, who passed away 15 years ago. Formica will link a grant for pediatric cancer research in David’s name.

She was also awarded the 2021 Lehigh Valley Mission award earlier this summer at the grand finale gala for running a campaign that spread awareness for the need to fund cures.

The Formica family raises money every year in memory of David who lost his battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in July 2006 at the age of 15.

“This year (2021) will mark 15 years that he is no longer with us. I cannot believe that he has been gone the same amount of time that we were able to have him here with us. David was a typical 11-year-old boy until one unforgettable day in October of 2002, when David was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,” Formica said.

“In July of 2006, our world came crashing in when David lost his courageous 4-year battle with leukemia at the age of 15. Since his passing our family, Doin’ it for David, continues to relentlessly fundraise and bring awareness to this terrible disease in his memory.”

Formica said, “People always ask me, why do you still fundraise? David isn’t here anymore, what’s the point? The point is this; I do not want any other sister to lose her best friend over a something out of anyone’s control. What happened to David wasn’t fair, it wasn’t easy, but if helping to find a cure helps make someone else’s diagnoses or coping easy, then that is the point. No one should have to go through this disease, especially a child, and no one should have to go through it alone.”

Fundraisers included a basket raffle in May at the Lehighton Recreation Center.

“LLS would like to congratulate Heather in her success,” said Megan Galko, campaign development manager of the Man and Woman of the Year campaign. “These exceptional volunteers are all passionate and determined individuals, and leaders in their communities. Together, we are getting closer to LLS’s goal of a world without blood cancer.”

LLS is the world’s leading nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding cures for blood cancers and ensuring that patients have access to lifesaving treatments. The entire candidate class raised $679,289 for blood cancer research.

Visit the Man & Woman of the Year website (www.mwoy.org) or email Megan.Galko@lls.org for more information.