Solon High School Student Honored with Blood Cancer United Impact Award

Cailey Zelwin holding her award with her parents, Courtney and Jeremy.

May 29 2026

Solon High School student Cailey Zelwin has been honored with the Blood Cancer United Impact Award after leading a Student Visionaries of the Year campaign that raised more than $100,000 in memory of her brother, Cole.

Zelwin served as a team manager for the seven-week fundraising program, held from January through March. She organized a campaign that included sponsorship meetings with businesses and community organizations, events and more than 700 mailed letters.

Throughout the campaign, Zelwin kept her brother at the heart of her mission. Cole passed away on May 3, 2023, from acute myeloid leukemia, inspiring Zelwin to focus her campaign on research.

“Ever since then, I wanted to do something in honor and memory of him,” Zelwin said. “He has always been the kindest person. We always say, ‘Be kind like Cole.’ I chose research as the pillar of my campaign so other kids don’t have to suffer like he did.”

Zelwin’s team was one of only five in the program to raise more than $100,000. Overall, this year’s Student Visionaries of the Year campaign included 39 high school teams and 700 team members, who raised more than $1.9 million in seven weeks.

“It means a lot that I could do something to help make an impact on people around the world affected by blood cancer,” Zelwin said.

Zelwin was presented with the award on May 26 in the Solon High School Guidance Office, where her parents, Courtney and Jeremy Zelwin, and staff members gathered for the surprise presentation. Staff cheered her on with pom-poms as Austin Fleischer, campaign development manager for Blood Cancer United, presented the award.

“Cailey, from the first day we met, had a goal of making the biggest impact she possibly could for Blood Cancer United, and she truly achieved that goal,” Fleischer said.

Solon High School students also support Blood Cancer United through the American Cancer Youth Society’s Comets Crush Cancer team, advised by Melissa Creamer. This year, the team raised more than $9,000 in seven weeks under the leadership of Charvi Kora, Hayool Lee and Meenakshi Sripada. The campaign included letter-writing, social media outreach, dine-to-donate events, doughnut sales and the sale of cancer awareness ribbons and bracelets during lunch periods.

Planning for the 2027 Comets Crush Cancer campaign will begin in June, giving Solon High School students the opportunity to continue the team’s work in support of Blood Cancer United and families affected by blood cancer.