{
  "id": 208038,
  "title": "California teen honors late father, raises record $1.23 million for blood cancer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/california-teen-honors-late-father-raises-record-1-23-million-for",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-06T06:01:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/california-student-orion-greene-16-spearheaded-a-seven-week-blood-cancer-campaign-in-memory-of-his-father-the-team-raised-a-record-1234579/articleshow/132971133.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a heartwarming display of compassion, a 16-year-old San Rafael, California teen named Orion Greene has raised an impressive $1,234,579 for blood cancer research, patient support and advocacy. This remarkable feat, accomplished in just seven weeks, has earned Orion the title of 2026 National Student Visionary of the Year from Blood Cancer United. The fundraising challenge was not merely a financial endeavor but a heartfelt tribute to Orion's late father, John Greene, who had battled blood cancer for years and dedicated his life to raising awareness and funds for the cause.\n\nJohn Greene, a respected employee at Salesforce, had spent significant time and resources on Blood Cancer United, having previously served on its board and raising over $8 million. His cancer battles included multiple stem cell transplants and a decision to forgo further medical treatment in his final months, opting to spend more time with his family. Instead of abandoning the cause, he encouraged Orion to carry on and develop a fundraising campaign that would ultimately become the most successful in the program's history.\n\nOrion, a student at San Rafael High School, rallied classmates, volunteers, family members, and supporters to participate in a seven-week campaign. Known as the \"Greene Goblins,\" the team organized creative fundraising projects and even created custom merchandise inspired by John's love for playing the piano and their family cat, Katniss. The merchandise was sold online and at John's Celebration of Life event, allowing friends and supporters to honor his memory while contributing to the cause. The campaign's success was buoyed by Salesforce's generous contribution.\n\nBeyond the impressive fundraising numbers, the Student Visionaries of the Year program serves as a platform to nurture leadership skills in high school students across the United States. Participants gain hands-on experience in organizing campaigns, engaging communities, and tackling complex challenges while supporting blood cancer research and patient care. Other teams participating in the 2026 campaign, such as Team BE-VALuable for a Cure from New Jersey and BC We Care, also achieved significant results, raising over $700,000 in combined efforts.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}