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13 hours on 'It's a Small World' to find cure for blood cancer

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society team hopes to raise $33,000

Jo Lea Hearn, with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, will ride 'It's A Small World' for 13 hours to raise money for blood cancer research.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jo Lea Hearn is a campaign services manager for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and every year, she sets out to raise money to help find the cure for blood cancers.

This year, Hearn is taking her fundraiser to infinity and beyond, coming up with a creative way to raise money.

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Hearn and 19 other members of the LLS North & Central Florida Chapter team will ride Disney World’s “It’s a Small World” for 13 hours straight.

From park open to park close, the LLS team will float through the ride, only stopping for bathroom breaks and quick bites to eat. 

The idea came from a team member who made a trip to Disney a few years ago.

“One of our team mates -- he's our captain -- I guess he was stuck on the ride a couple years ago and thought 'You know, this would make a good fundraiser to see how many times I could do this,'” Hearn said.

The initial goal was to raise $25,000 for the organization. The team has already surpassed that amount and is now aiming to raise $33,000 or more. 

If watching singing dolls weren’t entertaining enough, Hearn said she and her teammates will probably keep themselves busy coming up with games such as I-Spy. She said her team members will also livestream parts of their day on their Facebook page.

“We’re going to do fun little things to get us mentally psyched," Hearn said. "It’s going to be a great day.”

Asked if listening to the iconic “It’s a Small World” song for 13 hours would be a problem Hearn said she has no idea how she will stop it from replaying in her head for days.

“It will be mentally challenging,” she said.

To monitor the fundraising progress and to learn more about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, visit the organization's Facebook page or website.


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