Natalie Hartman has a notebook full of medical records given to her parents when she was a toddler when she was diagnosed with leukemia.
JD Pulley | Sentinel Tribune
TONTOGANY – An Ossego High School senior who was diagnosed with leukemia in childhood raises money for research.
Natalie Hartman continues the school’s tradition of participating in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Student Visionary of the Year campaign.
“My family has always been involved in LLS fundraising,” she said.
Hartmann was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was 16 months old.
Nat’s Cancer Crushing Crew will have a Dodgeball Tournament on February 17th, Galentine’s Brunch with Purse Bingo on February 19th, Winter Formals on February 25th, a 3-Point Shooting Tournament at Home Basketball Games, and a Dime in School Classrooms. We are planning for Donuts.
You can sign up at natscancercrushingcrew on Instagram.
Hartman said her team’s goal is $35,000.
She doesn’t remember any cancer treatment, but has a three-ring binder of treatment plans kept by Haskins’ parents, Doug and Janelle Hartman.
“I don’t remember anything bad, but I remember being there…” Hartman said.
Her treatment lasted 2 years, 2 months and 6 days, during which she received 9 different chemotherapy regimens. Some given orally, some intramuscularly, some from her IV and some directly into the spinal cord.
She said she was in remission in 2008.
Hartmann says she has an annual check-up and stays in touch with the nurse she hired as her grandmother.
None of her three siblings have shown signs of leukemia, she said.
Hartman grew up attending events in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and watching his parents raise funds through Team in Training and other groups focused on LLS.
In 2013, she was named the inaugural Northwest Ohio Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Girl of the Year.
Hartman hopes to be named Student Visionary of the Year in 2023 and LLS Visionary of the Year ten years later. This is the first person to win all three titles.
Her 24-member team operates under a research pillar with the goal of raising funds to make treatments shorter and more effective.
“It’s competitive, so of course I want to win, but it means a lot to me and my family,” she said.
Her hope is that within a few years, leukemia patients will have a paper outlining their treatment rather than a binder.
Hartman plans to enroll at Ohio Northern University this fall, majoring in political science with the goal of becoming a prosecutor.
She has a year of college credit and plans to complete her law degree in five years at ONU.
Hartman is a Buckeye Girls State Representative and was elected Director of Public Health and Safety.
At Otsego, he plays basketball and soccer, is treasurer for the FFA and student council, secretary for the book and media club, student representative for the high school’s Sun Federal Credit chapter, and helps run the Knight and Day Café.
The Student Visionary of the Year competition will be between the regional high school teams that raise the most funds in a seven week time frame.
This is Otsego’s fifth year participating in the competition as a team.
The title of Student Visionary of the Year (formerly Student of the Year) will be awarded to the candidate or co-nominee from each community who raises the most funds during the competition. Locally, 11 teams compete in the Toledo region.
Donations to Hartman’s team can be made through March 3 at https://events.lls.org/tol/svoynwoh23/nhartman.
