The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Northern Ohio Chapter

Congratulations to Francesca Nist for accepting her nomination for Cleveland’s 2024 Visionaries of the Year candidate!    Francesca’s personal connection is through her dear friend and colleague, Justin Brazie, who lost his heroic battle with Lymphoma in December 2021. Supporting an organization that was so important to him, is her reason for honorably accepting a nomination - to fight on his behalf. While there have been advancements in cancer treatments, we have yet to find a cure – Francesca is competing to bring us one step closer to that day!   Francesca has over 20 years of experience in the architectural coatings industry, holding multiple positions throughout her career at The Sherwin-Williams Company. She served as a fundraising team member for MWOY in 2022, as well as Light the Night in 2022.    Francesca is a lifelong Cleveland native, an avid Browns fan and loves the Cleveland food scene. Francesca and her husband Matt reside in Westlake.   Thank you, Francesca, for signing up to save lives! Together we can make an impact!

Congratulations to Dominic Fragapane, CPA for accepting his nomination for Cleveland’s 2024 Visionaries of the Year candidate! Dominic is a Tax Director with Western Reserve Trust Company, a Cleveland Non-Depository bank offering Trust administration and Family Wealth Services. Through his connections with clients, he has become involved with Northeast Ohio Foundations and Non-profit organizations, with an emphasis on helping organizations achieve and develop their missions. Dominic is honored to participate in the LLS Visionary of the Year campaign and support the patients and families affected by Cancer. He is dedicating his campaign to his mother, whose Non-Hodgkins’s Lymphoma is in remission and his Best Friend’s niece, who is currently battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The courage and strength shown by both has been remarkable and motivates him to help raise funds and awareness to support other patients and their families with the challenges they might face in their journey with cancer. Dominic resides in North Ridgeville with his wife, Shaina and two Daughters, Elaina and Mirabella. Thank you, Dominic, for signing up to save lives! Together we can make an impact! #LLSVisionaries #CancelBloodCancer #BloodCancer #clevelandohio

Congratulations to Carolyn Castrovince for accepting her nomination for Cleveland’s 2024 Visionaries of the Year! Carolyn’s personal journey with cancer began in 2011 when her fiancé (now husband) was diagnosed with brain cancer at 39 years old. Thankfully he has been in remission for 12 years, but his cancer has had a permanent impact on our family’s lives. She also has many friends and family who have been touched by many types of cancer, including blood cancer. The cutting-edge research funded by LLS not only helps advancement of the treatment of blood cancers, but other cancers as well. Carolyn took on the Visionaries of the Year candidacy because she wants to bring attention to LLS’s mission and help drive funding for this critical research! Carolyn started her career at the Cleveland office of Arthur Andersen as an accountant. After leaving the public accounting space, Carolyn moved into the area of Corporate Performance Management, focusing on technology solutions for the Office of Finance. Currently, Carolyn is a Director of Client Engagement at Finit Solutions, a leading OneStream Software implementation services provider located in Cincinnati, OH. Carolyn completed her bachelor’s degree and MBA at Ohio State University. Carolyn is a lifelong Clevelander and resides in Rocky River with her husband Bill and daughter Olivia. Carolyn is still recovering from the Browns loss in the playoffs but looks forward to next season! Thank you, Carolyn, for signing up to save lives! Together we can make an impact!

Congratulations to Juan Camacho for accepting his nomination for Cleveland’s 2024 Visionaries of the Year! Juan’s personal journey with cancer began just two years ago in January 2022 when his father, Jose, was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis, a rare form of blood cancer that causes scarring of the bone marrow. Thankfully, due to advancements in technology and careful monitoring, doctors determined that Jose could undergo a stem cell transplant to treat this disease. The next step was to find a donor, which is where Juan stepped in. After completing testing, it was found that Juan was at least a 50% match, and that was enough for the doctor to take a chance on the transplant. Because of the generosity of organizations like LLS, Juan was able to donate his own stem cells at no cost to the family. This experience inspired Juan to compete in Visionaries of the Year, so that more of these opportunities can continue to be available for others. Thank you, Juan, for signing up to save lives. Together, we can make an impact.  

Congratulations to Frank Santoiemmo for accepting his nomination for Cleveland’s 2024 Visionaries of the Year! Frank is Director at Sikora Law and has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial real estate and has handled a wide variety of commercial real estate transactions across the country. Outside of work, Frank enjoys playing and watching sports, outdoor activities, coaching youth sports, and spending time with his wife and two children. Frank has seen the impact blood cancer has on the lives of patients and their families and is excited to compete for Visionary of the Year and help make a difference with LLS. Thank you, Frank, for signing up to save lives. Together, we can make an impact.

Congratulations to Shannon Mortland on accepting her nomination for Cleveland/Akron's 2024 Visionaries of the Year! Shannon is the Director of Communications at Oswald Companies, having joined the organization in 2022 with nearly 30 years of experience in media and communications industries. Shannon is passionate about the fight against blood cancer and is excited to partner with LLS and compete for the title of Visionary of the Year to make this happen. Thank you, Shannon, for signing up to save lives. Together, we can make an impact.

Congratulations to Evan Dammarell on accepting his nomination for Cleveland/Akron's 2024 Visionaries of the Year! Evan Dammarell is a multimedia journalist and founder of Right Down Euclid, a nonprofit news organization providing free, accessible news and information to the greater Cleveland community. He is honored to be considered a 2024 Visionary of the Year candidate, as cancer has impacted the lives of his family. Evan is determined to help in the mission to find a cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma and ultimately wants to see an end to cancer in our lifetime. Thank you, Evan, for signing up to save lives. Together, we can make an impact.

Congratulations to LeAirra Lacey, MBA on accepting her nomination for Cleveland/Akron's 2024 Visionaries of the Year!   LeAirra is the Director of the Mosaic Center at the American Advertising Federation, where she tirelessly works to promote diversity and inclusivity in the industry. Beyond her role, she is a true community champion, volunteering with local organizations to champion equitable practices and raise awareness for important causes. Her personal journey has been marked by the impact of cancer, with her mother, Ryan, triumphing over colon cancer after a challenging battle. As a Visionaries of the Year candidate, LeAirra is determined to shed light on the disparities in cancer care, especially for the Black community. She champions the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) 'Myeloma Link' program, which provides free educational outreach and enhanced access to care, empowering the Black community to access the best care and support possible. Thank you, LeAirra, for signing up to save lives. Together, we can make an impact.

We're excited to introduce our 2024 Leadership Committee Co-Chairs for Cleveland/Akron's Visionaries of the Year, Pat and Melissa Hurst of Hurst Design Build Remodel! Pat & Melissa’s passion for LLS is fueled from their life’s experiences and all the friends, family members and co-workers who have suffered from blood cancers; and there are far too many. Pat’s mother, Catherine Hurst, was diagnosed with CNS Lymphoma in 2003 and she fought bravely until her passing in 2011 when she was just 64 years old. His mom was a genuinely happy person and had a positive nature even while enduring many years of treatments. She was an inspiration to him and countless others. Pat and Melissa, we are grateful you both are joining LLS in the fight to #CancelBloodCancer. Together, we can make an impact.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Northwest Ohio is now recruiting for our Class of 2024 Visionaries of the Year Candidates! We are looking for strong business and community leaders to commit to an exciting and rewarding 10-week fundraising competition to support the LLS mission: create a world without blood cancers. If you are interested in learning more or would like to nominate a candidate, please reach out to Paige.Reyes@LLS.org. We can't wait to break records in 2024!