Blood Cancer United - Central California

10/22/2026

📣 Angela Kutnerian, Co-founder and President of Wellpointe Inc., is signing up to save lives as part of our 2027 Fresno Visionaries of the Year! 👏

Angela’s “why” is deeply personal. Growing up with cancer woven through her family, including all four grandparents and her mom, who beat thyroid cancer twice, and then watching her close friend Adrian Tellez fight hairy cell leukemia in 2017, showed her how much a diagnosis can turn a life upside down, and how much hope research brings to every family on this journey.

Angela’s fundraising is helping Blood Cancer United move closer to cures, support patients and families, and raise a powerful voice for everyone impacted by blood cancer. 🩸❤️

Click here to learn more lls.org/visionaries

10/22/2026

Ready to level up your Light The Night fundraising?

Raise $100 to become a Champion For A Cure and receive our 2026 Light The Night t-shirt. Looking to go even further? Your next milestone is always within reach.

Every dollar raised supports patients and families affected by blood cancer and helps fund lifesaving research and support services. ❤️💛🤍

Keep fundraising! Keep the momentum going. 💪🏻

It’s not too late to join! Register now through the link in the bio and start reaching your milestones.

10/16/2026

Grab your lanterns! We have 4 weeks left until we bring light to the darkness of cancer together at Chukchansi Park alongside bloodcancerunited. ✨ There’s still time to join the movement. 👉🏻 To register, click link in bio.

10/12/2026

There is incredible power when women leaders come together with a shared purpose! ♥️🩸

We were honored to gather with an inspiring group of women from across the Central Valley for a meaningful afternoon of connection, conversation, and learning about the mission of Blood Cancer United.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us with such openness and heart. Together, we have the opportunity to create meaningful change for people and families impacted by blood cancer.

This is community. This is leadership. And this is what’s possible when we unite around a cause that matters. ♥️🩸

09/28/2026

Derek said it best... join us at Light The Night! 🏈✨
On November 13, we'll gather at Chukchansi Park for Light The Night to honor survivors, remember loved ones, and support families impacted by blood cancer.
Registration is FREE! Sign up today, start a team, or make a meaningful donation. Together, we can bring light to the darkness of cancer and make a difference for local patients and their families. 🌟❤️
🔗 Register today with the Link in our Bio!
CommunityStrong CentralValley BringTheLight LightTheNight2026 Derek Carr

09/26/2026

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.

09/26/2026

We’re incredibly proud to celebrate Dr. Haifaa Abdulhaq and this well-deserved recognition.

Dr. Abdulhaq holds a special place in the Blood Cancer United community, serving on our Board of Trustees while also caring directly for blood cancer patients in the Central Valley. Her work to expand access to innovative treatments like CAR T-cell therapy is helping bring advanced care closer to home for patients and families across our region.

Congratulations, Dr. Abdulhaq, on being named the 2026 Public Health Hero. We are grateful for your leadership and partnership.

Big congratulations to Dr. Haifaa Abdulhaq, who was named the 2026 Public Health Hero at yesterday's State of the County luncheon! 🥳

As a hematologist-oncologist and Director of Cellular Therapy at Community Cancer Institute, Dr. Abdulhaq has spent her career going above and beyond for her patients. Last May, she helped bring CAR T-cell therapy to our health system, making us the first in the Central Valley to treat a patient with this groundbreaking treatment. That means patients facing blood cancer no longer have to leave home for world-class care. Since then, she and her team have continued to grow the program, expanding access for even more patients across our region.

This recognition is so well deserved. Thank you, Dr. Abdulhaq, for everything you do for your patients and our community. 🫶👏

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

"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

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

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

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

09/18/2026

Acompáñenos el 3 de octubre de 2026 para una conversación sobre ensayos clínicos y cáncer de sangre. El programa se llevara acabo en Hodel's Country Dining en Bakersfield de 9am a 1pm. El evento es gratuito. Se proporcionarán desayuno y almuerzo. Para más información, por favor contacta a Enriqueta Vargas al 661-431-3682.

09/18/2026

Programa gratuito de educación sobre el cáncer de sangre Te invitamos a Conversación sobre Ensayos Clínicos y Canceres de Sangre — una sesión gratuita y acogedora creada para pacientes, familias y cuidadores, donde podrán aprender, compartir y encontrar fuerza juntos. Obtén información de expertos en salud, explora las opciones de tratamiento y conéctate con otros que entienden tu experiencia. ¡Reserva tu lugar hoy! https://na.eventscloud.com/website/98889/

09/10/2026

Today is Executive Challenge Action Day! 📣❤️
Our Executive Challengers and Emerging Leaders are putting leadership into action— rallying their networks and raising critical funds in support of Blood Cancer United’s mission.
⭐
Ashley Maes
Bella Lourenco
Diane Carpenter
Frank Dalena
Gemma Murphy
Giordano Primavera
Joanna Alexandra Ancheta
Kara Herderich
Kara Mehrten
Karina Ibarra Haifaa Abdulhaq
Kirk Squire
Lisa Thurman
Matt Morse
Nathalie Cervantes
Nicole Bradbury
Rebekah Curry
Taelor Shweiki
Tyler Beck
⭐

Today we also have a $5,000 match from Mid Valley Financial and $5,000 match from Don & Cheryl Baker!
Every dollar raised helps support research, patient programs, and advocacy for people affected by blood cancer.

Today, we're asking our community to join them. Visit the link in our bio to support their fundraising efforts and help turn leadership into impact. ❤️