Elisabeth Fisher, Shawn Litterall, Jim Galvanek and 2007 Woman of the Year Michelle Fried.

The Italian Embassy was packed last Thursday with supporters for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign kickoff, a fundraising drive in which a select pool of local professionals engage in a friendly fundraising competition to win the title of Man or Woman of the Year. This year’s event is supported by Accenture and the Land Rover America’s Polo Cup. WMZQ’s Brian Egan, whose wife, Jennifer, is living with chronic myeloid leukemia, was on hand to announce the 18 candidates, who together aim to raise an ambitious $1 million over the next ten weeks. See our photo slideshow below.

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The candidates will raise money in honor of two children who serve as this year’s Boy and Girl of the Year. Hunter Ruderman is a survivor of acute mylogenous leukemia, and Hannah McNeal is finishing treatment for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Both were present Thursday night with their parents, who shared their emotional stories and thanked the crowd for their support.

The campaign ends with a black-tie event at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on June 14. Let the fundraising begin!

To view the fundraising candidates or to donate, click here.

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