Smash Cancer at Loyola University New Orleans

Smash Cancer - Loyola University New Orleans Chapter - March 26, 2023 from 8am-8pm at City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana

*If you are interested in participating in the Smash Cancer Event or any games/activities held that day, please Direct Message our Instagram account @smashcancer_loyno)*

Isabella Leano's passion for tennis inspired her dedication to give back to the community on the tennis court, specifically her very own organization - Smash Cancer. This 12-hour tennis-a-thon benefits the ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ Foundation. After her paternal grandfather passed from Acute Myeloid Leukemia, she was motivated to create the ‘Smash Cancer’ organization. Because her grandfather’s form of cancer was aggressive, his doctors used experimental treatments that extended his time with his family and increased his quality of life. This expensive experimental treatment can help patients extend life and diminish pain. The ‘Smash Cancer’ tennis-a-thon Isabella created has raised over $15,000 over the past 4 years amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it was a time-consuming endeavor to formulate the concept, advertise the event, secure the players, play the matches, and raise sponsorships, it is the combination of her passion for tennis as well as her intention to study medicine that drove Isabella. Most notably, she is now taking this event to Loyola University New Orleans as a ​ member of the Varsity Women's tennis team for the second year now. 

This experience was eye-opening to Isabella's worldview because it demonstrated how a small-scale effort can make an impactful difference. A local organization, such as hers, that benefits a national foundation to address a disease that affects individuals globally truly manifests the ‘domino effect.’ Through this, she aspires to inspire others to dedicate themselves to organizations that benefit the greater good of humanity. In her specific case, she hopes to motivate individuals to ​contribute to ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ to facilitate the foundation’s ability to fund and develop the newest and most promising cancer treatments that will help patients today. By dramatically accelerating the rate of new discoveries and connecting top scientists in unprecedented collaborations to create breakthroughs, ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ innovations can potentially lead to better cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, which means that they can help save lives now. In turn, ‘Smash Cancer’ and its objective to conquer cancer has made her realize how fortunate she is to not be directly affected by this fatal disease. Motivated by this sense of gratitude, Isabella hopes that, through her aspirations of pursuing a career in the medical field, she will be able to contribute to the eradication of cancer.

In March 2023, Isabella will again grace a tennis court for 12 consecutive hours for the 6th Smash Cancer Tennis-a-thon to raise funds for cancer research in cooperation with Stand Up To Cancer. 2023 will mark the second year of that the Smash Cancer event is held in New Orleans in conjunction with the Loyola University New Orleans' athletic department. Building off the $15,000 raised thus far following the last five events and encouraging all to aid in the essential fight against the terrible disease, Isabella hope​s to continue to raise awareness about cancer's effects on the lives of warriors and their families.

Please ​follow @SmashCancer_Loyno to stay ​current on recent updates and scheduling to come. We look forward to the event, and we thank you all!