Emily Whitehead Foundation

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Emily Whitehead Foundation

We are the leading voice for advanced therapies. The experimental T-cell therapy worked and Emily is more than 9 years cancer free.

Founded after Emily Whitehead became the first child saved by CAR-T, we advocate for access, support families facing cancer and rare disease, and work to create countless new survivor stories. About Emily Whitehead: Emily was the first pediatric patient enrolled in a highly experimental phase I clinical trial called CAR T-cell therapy and became the first child in the world to have her immune system trained to fight cancer.

08/20/2026

One of the many powerful moments of the Foundation's Believe Ball is hearing from our Warrior emcees, including Victoria Gray!

Diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an infant, Victoria endured decades of painful crises, repeated hospitalizations, and moments where the physical and emotional toll of her disease felt unbearable. Sickle cell disease impacted every part of her life, from her health and career goals to moments with her family.

Everything changed when Victoria became the first person ever treated with CRISPR gene editing therapy for sickle cell disease. After undergoing the groundbreaking clinical trial, Victoria woke up pain-free for the first time in her life after 34 years of living with constant pain and crises.

Today, Victoria celebrates over five years without sickle cell crises and has become a full-time patient advocate and international speaker. She works to amplify patient voices, improve trust and equity in healthcare, and inspire hope for families navigating life with sickle cell disease.

Victoria’s courage helped usher in a new chapter for gene editing and advanced therapies. Her story continues to demonstrate the life-changing potential of innovation, perseverance, and patient advocacy for generations to come.

Learn more about the Believe Ball: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/believe-ball/

Read Victoria’s story: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/patient-story/victoria-gray

08/18/2026

From making medical history to helping shape the future of advanced therapies, Emily Whitehead’s story continues to show what is possible when patients have access to groundbreaking treatments.

Emily was featured on CBS Philadelphia as part of its spotlight on Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she became the first pediatric patient in the world to receive CAR T-cell therapy in 2012 after relapsing twice with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

More than 14 years later, Emily remains cancer-free and the treatment that changed her life helped pave the way for CAR T-cell therapy to become an option for more than 50,000 patients around the world.

In the CBS Philadelphia feature, Emily reflects on the impact CHOP has had on her life and the significance of being part of a breakthrough that has grown far beyond her own story.

We are proud to see Emily use her voice to advocate for a future where every patient who can benefit from advanced therapies has the opportunity to access them.

Watch Emily’s feature on CBS Philadelphia: https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/video/worlds-1st-pediatric-patient-to-receive-car-t-therapy-says-chop-changed-her-life/

08/17/2026

We are proud to recognize Autolus, BIO, Cencora, Cryoport Systems, Cytiva, Gilead/Kite, Heron Advisors, Kyowa Kirin, Roslin CT, ScaleReady, Swissfinity Group and Thermo Fisher Scientific as Gold Sponsors! Thank you for your support of our mission so we can Activate the Cure.

Thanks to these supporters, the Emily Whitehead Foundation continues to expand its support for patients and caregivers affected by cancer and rare diseases, while advocating for all patients who can benefit from advanced therapies.

The Believe Ball brings together patients, caregivers, advocates, researchers, healthcare leaders, and the advanced therapies community for an unforgettable evening of hope, impact, and progress. Together, we are helping create more survivor stories and ensuring families have access to the resources, support, and advocacy they need throughout their treatment journey.

By becoming a Believe Ball sponsor, you'll have the opportunity to connect directly with the patients and families sponsorships are helping to impact, while building meaningful relationships with leaders across the advanced therapies ecosystem.

Learn more about the Believe Ball and available sponsorship opportunities: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/believe-ball/believe-ball-sponsor-interest-form/

08/14/2026

Only 100 days until Team Hope In Motion takes on the Philadelphia Marathon!

Every mile ran supports the Emily Whitehead Foundation’s mission to for cancer and rare diseases by raising awareness, advancing innovative treatments and helping more patients access lifesaving care.

Over the next 100 days, participants will be preparing to run for every individual and family facing a difficult diagnosis—and for a future filled with more hope, more options and more cures.

Learn more about our cause: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/our-cause/

08/13/2026

Want to be part of one of the most inspiring nights in advanced therapies? Individual tickets for the 2026 Believe Ball are now available through September 1, 2026 for $750 per ticket. Tickets are limited and will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

Join patients, families, researchers, healthcare providers, and industry leaders for an unforgettable evening celebrating the progress of advanced therapies and the people whose lives have been transformed by them. Your attendance directly supports the Emily Whitehead Foundation's mission to support patients and caregivers affected by cancer and rare diseases, and advocate for all patients who can be treated with advanced therapies.

We look forward to welcoming you in Philadelphia on Friday, September 25 for an evening of inspiration, connection, and impact!

Buy Tickets: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/cR7gk9p2eJOsaa6G_QnUOw

08/07/2026

Congratulations to Foundation Board Member Dmitri Siegel on being elected President of the State Government Affairs Council (SGAC)!

The State Government Affairs Council is a professional association that brings together people who shape policy at the state level across companies, associations and government. State policy is where many decisions that determine access to life-changing advanced therapies are made. Dmitri has long understood the importance of bringing the patient voice into those rooms, and his role as SGAC president is a well-deserved recognition of his commitment to expanding access to treatment.

Long before assuming the SGAC presidency, Dmitri helped bring voices of patients and caregivers directly to state legislative leaders by inviting Tom Whitehead and Emily Whitehead to speak at an SGAC meeting, creating meaningful dialogue around access to cell and gene therapies.

"Dmitri has spent his career in rooms where state policy actually gets made, and he has spent his time with the Emily Whitehead Foundation making sure the patient voice gets into those rooms," said Foundation Executive Director George Eastwood. "I can't think of a better person to hand the president's gavel to."

Congratulations, Dmitri, on this well-earned honor. We look forward to seeing the impact of your leadership in the year ahead!

08/06/2026

Please join us in celebrating Bradley Watts who will be a Warrior emcee at our Believe Ball on Sept. 25 in Philadelphia!

At just 29 years old, Brad’s life changed when a small lump in his neck led to a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. Over the next several years, he endured more than 250 days in the hospital, multiple chemotherapy regimens, radiation, immunotherapy, surgery, a stem cell transplant, and eventually CAR T-cell therapy.

Throughout his journey, Brad became a passionate advocate for helping patients access advanced therapies earlier, recognizing how critical time is for patients facing aggressive disease. After years of treatment and uncertainty, CAR T-cell therapy helped give Brad a second chance at life.

Today, Brad is in remission, a husband, and the father of two miracle boys. Professionally, he works in risk management for life science organizations, helping move advanced therapies through clinical development and toward patients who need them most. He also speaks at conferences and collaborates with physicians, manufacturers, and advocacy organizations to expand awareness and access to cell and gene therapies.

Brad’s story is a reminder that innovation in medicine is deeply personal. His voice continues to inspire hope, advocate for earlier access to lifesaving therapies, and ensure more patients have the opportunity to spend less time in hospitals and more time living fully.

Learn more about the Believe Ball: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/believe-ball/

Read Bradley’s story: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/patient-story/bradley-watts/

08/05/2026

We're proud to recognize Cellares as a Believe Bundles Impact Partner!

Thanks to Cellares, the Foundation delivered 34 Believe Bundles to patients undergoing treatment at Rutgers Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center and Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine.

Each Believe Bundle is thoughtfully curated by members of our patient community to provide comfort during treatment while welcoming patients and caregivers into a community that understands their journey. During the packing events, the Cellares team helped assemble each Bundle and wrote heartfelt personal messages of encouragement, creating a meaningful experience not only for the families who receive them, but also for those who take part in making them. It's a powerful reminder that even small acts of kindness can create lasting connections.

Thank you, Cellares, for helping us bring hope, comfort, and connection to these patients and their families!

Learn more about our Believe Bundle partnership opportunities: https://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/join-the-cause/believe-bundles/believe-bundles-industry-partnerships/

08/03/2026

"Cancer will always be part of my story, but it is not the only part. I am not just a survivor of what happened to me. I am someone who gets to live beyond it."

For years, Emily Whitehead's story has been told through the milestones that changed medicine: diagnosis, relapse, CAR T-cell therapy, and remission.

In a story titled "Life After a Breakthrough" for CNBC Cures series, Emily shares something even more personal: what it means to grow up after surviving childhood cancer.

She reflects on finding her own voice beyond being "the first," the responsibility of representing hope for so many families, and why survivorship is about so much more than remission. It's about building a future, embracing life's everyday moments, and ensuring every child has the same opportunity to not just survive, but truly thrive.

As Emily writes, "When people call me a miracle, I understand what they mean. But I also know that my survival was not magic. It was science, courage, persistence, and timing coming together."

We're so proud of Emily for sharing her perspective and reminding the world that the true impact of a breakthrough isn't just the lives it saves; it's the lives those patients get to live.

Read Emily's story "Life After a Breakthrough" here: https://link.cnbc.com/public/46726983

07/31/2026

There's still time to donate items for the 2026 Believe Ball silent auction!

Popular auction items include unique experiences, gift certificates, autographed sports, and entertainment memorabilia. All proceeds benefit the Emily Whitehead Foundation in supporting patients and caregivers affected by cancer and rare diseases and advocating for all patients who can be treated with advanced therapies. Donations of all kinds are welcome and every contribution is appreciated.

The Believe Ball silent auction is a virtual auction, and participants do not need to be present at the event to place a bid or donate an item.

Learn more: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/Y78CrQtmH3cP-sjo35RrnA

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http://www.emilywhiteheadfoundation.org/

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