Welcome to my vision

My name is Abby Bilotta and I started The ChrisSanthemum Project when I was 13 years old because my Aunt Sandy passed from leukemia and my cousin Christian has died by suicide both in 2017. These losses have had tremendous impacts on my life so it makes me want to spread awareness and make changes in this world to find cures. All of the proceeds from this fundraiser will be donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Peyton Heart Project. The Peyton Heart Project is an organization that handcrafts hearts to promote suicide and bullying awareness, they want to help end the stigma about mental health issues. The hearts have tags attached that have a positive quote and it also gives the suicide prevention hotline number as well as the Crisis line for anyone who needs help. I had tags made in memory of my cousin Christian after I found out about this project to spread around and create awareness. The project wants to send the message that you are loved and everyone wants you in this world. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society advocates, researches and helps patients with blood cancer they are the leading source of free blood cancer information, education and support for patients, survivors, families and healthcare professionals, LLS helps patients navigate their cancer treatment and ensures they have access to quality, affordable and coordinated care.

When I turned 16 years old in 2021 I got to open my last gift from my Aunt Sandy and in it she left me a handwritten letter that said “Surviving does not just mean being cured it means that regardless of what life throws at you, you keep going, you keep living never as a victim but with your head held high. You continue to fight by living no matter the final outcome. Gather strength and determination to live life to the fullest and to always just keep swimming. As long as we just keep swimming, no matter what, we are all survivors at this game called life”