Blood Cancer United - Illinois

09/25/2026

Be Kind to Your Mind 🧘‍♂️🧘‍♀️

Patients, survivors, and caregivers can order a Be Kind to Your Mind wellness box, created with mental well-being in mind. We’re also featured in the September Elephants and Tea September Issue, sharing stories and resources from the blood cancer community.

Check it out and order your box today!
https://bit.ly/4Axg81j

09/25/2026

09/25/2026

Valvoline and Blood Cancer United are Driving for a Dream with a special livery on William Byron’s No. 24 for the upcoming race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Designed by Palmer, a 12-year-old blood cancer hero and artist, the colorful beach themed livery represents joy, strength, and resilience.

Take a look at the behind-the-scenes design process of how Emily Butler Lue and Harris Lue of LUE Creative brought Palmer’s vision to life.

09/25/2026

"Over 65 years of life, I’ve walked through many difficult seasons, and what I know for certain is this: in every single one, God has been with me, and He has seen me through. But when I got married in February 2023, life felt full again, full of joy, full of plans, full of promise. At my niece’s wedding, while line dancing, I felt a sudden 'pop' in my rib. I never imagined that moment would lead to a diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM), just three months after marrying my sweet husband, Ray.

I had been enjoying retirement after working since I was 14. I survived shingles in 2020 and an emergency appendectomy that same year. I had been savoring time with my five beautiful grandchildren. Then came 2023, a year I expected to spend traveling and building new memories with the love of my life. Instead, pain, muscle spasms, compression fractures, and rib fractures brought everything to a halt.

Looking back, I realized I had been tired and hurting for a long time but had pushed through it, as I always do. My pain tolerance is high, but this was beyond anything I’d ever known. I thought nothing could hurt worse than labor... then shingles came. And then cancer said, ‘Let me show you what pain really is.’

A stem cell transplant on December 29, 2023.

In June 2024, I got the call: I am MRD-negative and still MRD-negative over a year later. God is great! They may say myeloma is incurable, but I know this: nothing is too hard for God. If He did it before, He can do it again.”

For Dawn, "more" meant more time with her new husband, Ray. Just three months after they were married, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Instead of the travel and adventures they had planned, they faced a blood cancer diagnosis together.

Today, Dawn is MRD-negative and continuing to make memories with her family, her grandchildren, and the life she fought so hard to keep living.

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and we are working toward a future filled with more. Help us raise more awareness and work toward a future where everyone affected by blood cancer has more time to love, more time to dream, and more time to write the next chapter of their story.

We're working toward more time, more hope, and more tomorrows. Learn more about our resources: https://bcutd.org/3Ufxqzz

09/25/2026

More and more support, guidance, and peace of mind.​

​This Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we want every patient and family to know about a free resource that does not get talked about enough. ​

​Open enrollment is coming, and finding the right health insurance plan for your specific needs may lower your out-of-pocket costs. Our Medical Debt Case Managers provide personalized, one-on-one health insurance evaluations to help prevent future medical debt.​

​Because more and more awareness can lead to more and more action.

Preventing medical debt starts with getting on the right insurance plan. Contact us to learn more 👇
https://bcutd.org/3TLuwT8

09/24/2026

Meet Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

A recent National Academy of Medicine electee Abdel-Wahab’s project studies a mutation in the SRSF2 gene. It shows up in 25% of people with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), 50% of people with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, and 25% of people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) over age 65. Understanding what's happening at the molecular level with genes like SRSF2 could mean one new drug works across all of these types of blood cancer.

“Finding funding for this project at this early step can be challenging, but will be critical in bringing this treatment closer to patients," says Abdel-Wahab.

This project is part of the more than 250 academic research projects supported through Blood Cancer United's multi-year grants portfolio, all aimed at getting closer to better treatment options.

Learn more ⤵️
https://bcutd.org/3TTQzqR

09/24/2026

🔥 Let's give it up for our next 2027 Student Visionaries of the Year candidate, Julia Hambell!👏

Julia was a team member last year and is excited to step up to the role of candidate and continue the legacy of the Red Ribbon Resilience team! Julia is a senior at Glenbard West and is involved in many clubs, along with tennis and track. She is excited to continue learning more about the mission of Blood Cancer United and sharing it with others in her community while making a difference!

We’re cheering Julia on to lead with vision and help create a future without blood cancer. Join us in cheering on Julia in the comments below! 🌟

09/24/2026

Looking for trusted information and expert guidance on blood cancer–– we’ve got you! 🎗️ Join Blood Cancer United - Illinois at the Upper Midwest Blood Cancer Conference— a free conference for patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to learn, connect, and build community. ❤

📅 Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
🕒 Time: 9:00am - 2:15pm
📍 Location: The Loews Chicago O’Hare, Rosemont, IL

Hear from experts in blood cancer research, treatment, and survivorship as they share the latest on treatment options, emerging therapies, support resources. Meet others who understand your experience. 💬 Free to attend— register today! www.BloodCancerUnited.org/UMBCC26

LLS is now Blood Cancer United! We’ve evolved how we look, to ensure every blood cancer patient and caregiver knows that we provide support for 100+ blood cancers, not just leukemia and lymphoma. While our name has changed, our mission is still the same.

09/24/2026

Blood Cancer United and the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation have announced six new research grants as part of their extended HCL2030 partnership. Nearly $7 million will be invested over the next five years in research focused on better understanding what drives hairy cell leukemia and finding better therapies for patients, particularly those with variant disease or relapsed classic hairy cell leukemia.

This , learn more and read the full announcement ⤵️
https://bcutd.org/4hndl1X

09/23/2026

We are thrilled to announce our first Visionaries of the Year Leadership Committee member, Sophie Baron! ⭐

Sophie is an Account Director at Real Chemistry and first got involved with Blood Cancer United through her Visionaries of the Year campaign this past spring. She ran in honor of her Nonna, who passed away from T-cell lymphoma in 2025. Sophie joins the Leadership Committee to continue honoring her memory and supporting those impacted by blood cancer.

Thank you for continuing your work with Blood Cancer United, Sophie! ⭐

09/23/2026

Our Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP) partners work directly with innovative biotech companies to move the most promising blood cancer research from the lab into clinical trials, faster. TAP looks to change the standard of care while addressing high unmet medical needs.

Royalty Pharma's commitment to TAP is helping power that progress. With this gift of $7.5M, it marks the largest corporate donor donation that our TAP program has received.

Together, that means more treatments and more time for every patient.

Learn more about this impact on TAP ⬇️
https://bcutd.org/4yIm6ee

09/23/2026

This is Vivian ❤️

When she was just four months old, her family received the news that she had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Although initially reaching remission, her cancer returned just months later. ​Then a breakthrough treatment called CAR T-cell therapy gave her another chance, and today Vivian is thriving.

Her family is passionate about sharing her story and advocating for continued investment in research that can help more children facing blood cancer.​ 🔬​

To share her story, we’re working with our partners , to highlight Vivian as one of our Honored Heroes for the 2026 campaign! She will be featured throughout September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, at Urban Air Adventure Park locations nationwide as part of Sock it To Cancer and Unleashed Brands will have commemorative socks that will benefit The Dare to Dream Program. ✨​🧦

09/23/2026

Pass it along. 💌

If this is your family right now, you are not alone. The Dare to Dream Project is here for every family navigating a pediatric blood cancer with free resources and personalized support every step of the way. Learn more ⤵️
https://bcutd.org/4yWfnxr

09/22/2026

Your brain called. It wants a checklist. 🧠☎️

If your mental checklist is running overtime, you're not alone. As a young adult with blood cancer, there can be a lot to carry—appointments, treatment, relationships, work, and everything in between. It's okay to prioritize your mental health, ask for support, and take things one step at a time. Find free mental health resources for young adults here👇
https://bcutd.org/3TmqQXL

09/14/2026

📅 Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026

🕒 Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm

📍 Location: Bethel New Life | 1150 N. Lamon Avenue, Chicago, IL 60651

Join Blood Cancer United for Clinical Trials and Hope in Blood Cancer: an educational program designed to support and empower blood cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, family members, and loved ones. Please note: this program will be presented in Spanish. Participants will learn about clinical trials and their role in developing and advancing blood cancer treatments; discover patient advocacy strategies; improve communication with their healthcare team, especially for those who speak English as a second language; take part in a Zumba class focused on physical and emotional wellness; and learn about local and national resources from Blood Cancer United.

Complimentary lunch will be provided— register today!

➡️ https://bcutd.org/IL92626

National support for this program provided by: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Autolus, Merck, and Sanofi

09/11/2026

🔥 Let's give it up for our next 2027 Student Visionaries of the Year Maddy McCarthy and Ryen Niedner!👏

Past Honored Heroes Maddy and Ryen are once again teaming up in support of Blood Cancer United, this time as co-candidates leading team Living Proof!

Maddy is a junior at Loyola Academy where she is involved in Ambassadors, Torch Club, and Medical club. Ryen is a junior at St. Ignatius where she plays on the tennis and lacrosse teams. Both are very familiar with the mission of Blood Cancer United and are excited to lead a team to make a difference and help families facing a blood cancer diagnosis since they know first-hand how hard it can be.


We’re cheering Maddy and Ryen on to lead with vision and help create a future without blood cancer. Join us in cheering on team Living Proof in the comments below! 🌟

09/10/2026

🥁 Drumroll please, it's time to introduce our first Visionaries of the Year Chicago 2027 candidate! 🌟

Meet Brady Gumpf, a Broker Assistant at RT Specialty, proud University of Notre Dame alumnus, and former Notre Dame Baseball player. Brady earned his degree from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.

Brady's mission is personal. His younger sister was diagnosed with leukemia (ALL) when she was just 4 years old. The road through treatment was long and challenging, but today she is healthy, thriving, and attending college.

Brady and his family will always be grateful that effective treatment options were available when they needed them most, and for the community that stood beside them every step of the way. As a candidate, he's excited to pay it forward to other families navigating childhood cancer and raising funds for better, less toxic treatments for kids.

Please join us in welcoming Brady to the Visionaries of the Year Class of 2027! 💛🎗️

09/10/2026

It’s Action Day, a day where our local Chicagoland Executive Challengers and Emerging Leaders are going all in on fundraising to support the blood cancer community.

For our Challenge Chair, Apurva, this mission is personal.

She writes:

Today is National Challenge Action Day, and for me, challenging blood cancer is both deeply personal and much bigger than my own experience.

I was 27 when I was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I went from planning my wedding and thinking about the next several years of my life to living around chemotherapy, procedures, hospital stays, transfusions and appointments. For 2½ years, treatment became a huge part of how my days were measured.

But something I think about often now is that when I needed treatment, there was a treatment protocol waiting for me.

That didn’t happen by chance. It existed because of decades of research, because patients before me participated in studies, because scientists and doctors kept asking how we could do better, and because people chose to fund that work.

I am deeply grateful for the years that research has given me. But I also think the next chapter of progress has to be about the quality of those years.

We need treatments that are more effective, but also less toxic. Treatments that don’t ask people to give up quite so much of their lives in order to save them.

Because the goal isn’t simply more years.

It’s more quality years. More ordinary mornings. More birthdays and weddings. More time with the people we love. More opportunities to make plans without a diagnosis sitting at the center of them.

I know that the treatment I received exists because people before me participated in research, funded it, advocated for it and believed we could do better.

Today, I challenge blood cancer so we keep doing better for whoever comes next.

More years, yes. But better years, too. 🤍 and hopefully a cure soon.

So are you ready to push that forward today?

09/08/2026

This is George ❤️

He enjoys reading, building with Legos, and spending time with his older sister, Marilyn. ​

After experiencing unexplained bruising and fatigue, George was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at just 8 years old. After spending more than five months in the hospital undergoing treatment, he is now thriving in remission. ​

In partnership with , George is one of our Honored Heroes for the 2026 campaign! George will be featured throughout September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, at Urban Air Adventure Park locations nationwide as part of Sock it To Cancer and Unleashed Brands will have commemorative socks that will benefit our organization and the families we support. ​✨​🧦

09/02/2026

🔥 Let's give it up for our next 2027 Student Visionaries of the Year, Anaya Yousef and Maha Salimullah! 👏

Anaya is a sophomore at William Fremd High School where she is involved in her school's debate team. Maha is a sophomore at Stevenson High School where she is a part of the school newspaper and architecture club. Both of these girls are excited to inspire people around her to support blood cancer patients and families!

We’re cheering Anaya and Maha on to lead with vision and help create a future without blood cancer. Join us in cheering on Anaya and Maha in the comments below! 🌟