Blood Cancer United - Orange County Inland Empire

10/08/2026

Introducing our Inland Empire Light The Night Gold Lantern Holder, Candace! 💛

“My name is Candace Maciel our daughter Camille Josephine Maciel, passed away suddenly at age 28 following a brief but fierce battle with APML leukemia.

Camille was a radiant, energetic spirit whose love of life, family, friends, and sports touched everyone fortunate enough to know her.

Camille turned her passion for sports into a career, working with the LA Chargers, LA Galaxy, Anaheim Ducks, and ultimately Anaheim Angels Baseball, where she achieved her childhood dream of becoming the Game Presentation and Events Manager at Angel Stadium.

Though her life was far too short, Camille’s light continues through the people she inspired, the dreams she helped create, and the love she gave so freely. I light the night for Camille!”

Join Candace at Inland Empire Light the Night on Saturday, October 17 at Santana Regional Park in Corona at 5:00 pm! ✨ Click the 🔗 in our bio to register!

10/03/2026

3 Week Countdown until Orange County Light The Night! 🎉 Join us on Saturday, October 24 at Mike Ward Park in Irvine at 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. You’re welcome to bring an outdoor chair and/or blanket & pets on a leash.

Event Activities: 5:00 - 7:00 pm
✨ Kids Glow Zone - Glow in the dark temporary tattoos, makeup, and bracelets. Lawn games and Face-painting. Balloon Twisting by Balloonie Twisters 🎈
✨ School Team Zone - Draw cards for patients at local hospitals and make beaded bracelets
✨ Food available for purchase from Gyudon | Premium Japanese Beef Rice Bowl Taqueria HOY! scooter's italian ice
✨ Giveaways like pet bandanas and pup cups for your furry friends
✨ Dogs and puppies available for adoption! Learn more from Girls of Dog Rescue
✨ United With Survivors tent - receive your survivors t-shirt, white lantern, and lantern shaped night lights
✨ Honor and Remembrance tent - write a message to your loved one
✨ United in Mission - featuring a 3D sculpture to write who you walk for
✨ NMDP - National Marrow Donor Program (formerly Be The Match) will be on site for cheek swabs to register on the global bone marrow registry NMDP Chapter at CSUF NMDP
✨ Get resources from Jerry Clements
✨ And so much more!

Short Ceremony and Walk: 7:00 pm
✨ ASL translator
✨ LED screen will have Spanish translations
✨ Hear from our mission speakers and celebrate our Honored Hero, Natalia, who will be sharing her story on stage
✨ 2 walk route options: A little over 1 mile walk through the neighborhood near the lake. For those that would like a shorter option, you may walk around the park field which is less than 1/2 mile.

Register for free at the 🔗 in our bio! Need help registering your team? ➡️ DM us!

09/30/2026

Introducing our Orange County Light The Night Gold Lantern Holder, Kassandra 💛 Kassandra lights the night for Zaiden.

“I had the honor and privilege of being Zaiden’s mom. Zaiden bravely fought B-cell ALL for 11 years with 10 relapses. Zaiden was such a light and loved to make people happy. He danced his way through treatment and loved to walk the halls of the hospital.”

Join Kassandra at Orange County Light the Night on Saturday, October 24 at Mike Ward Park in Irvine at 5:00 pm! ✨ Click the 🔗 in our bio to register!

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.

09/25/2026

3 Week Countdown until Inland Empire Light The Night! 🎉 Join us on Saturday, October 17 at Santana Regional Park in Corona at 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. You’re welcome to bring an outdoor chair and/or blanket & pets on a leash.

Event Activities: 5:00 - 7:00 pm
✨ Kids Glow Zone - glow in the dark temporary tattoos, makeup, and bracelets
✨ Tailgate Area - play with jumbo lawn games, draw cards for patients at local hospitals, and make beaded bracelets
✨ Food available for purchase from Don Chuys Tacos Kabobaholic Food Truck Tikiz Shaved Ice And Ice Cream
✨ Giveaways like rainbow LED leis and cookies
✨ United With Survivors tent - receive your survivors t-shirt, white lantern, and lantern shaped night lights
✨ Honor and Remembrance tent - write a message to your loved one
✨ United in Mission - featuring a 3D sculpture to write who you walk for
✨ NMDP - National Marrow Donor Program (formerly Be The Match) will be on site for cheek swabs to register on the global bone marrow registry NMDP Southern California NMDP
✨ And so much more!

Short Ceremony and Walk: 7:00 pm
✨ ASL translator
✨ LED screen will have Spanish translations
✨ Hear from our mission speakers and celebrate our Honored Hero, Gerben, who will be ringing the bell on stage
✨ Less than a mile walk around the field

Register for free at the 🔗 in our bio! Need help registering your team? ➡️ DM us!

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

Introducing our Inland Empire Light The Night Red Lantern Holder, T’Ann Kessler. ❤️ T'Ann lights the night on behalf of her husband, Joel Kessler, and the many others who care for those battling daily.

“I was diagnosed in July of '21 with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma and within weeks I was in a coma fighting for my life. My wife was amazing as she became my voice, my cheerleader, my caretaker, my everything. Between her and my son Zack, they kept me going by being by my side daily, even though I didn't know they were there, and making the tough treatment decisions with the amazing teams of ICU Dr's and nurses. When I woke up after two weeks, my first question was, "Where is my wife?" She was right there, in the room, beside my bed. Without the support of my wife and my family, I am not here today.” - Joel

Join T’Ann and Joel at Inland Empire Light the Night on Saturday, October 17 at Santana Regional Park in Corona at 5:00 pm! ✨ Register here: https://lightthenight.org/events/inland-empire-0

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

09/17/2026

Introducing our Orange County Light The Night White Lantern Holder, Magdalena 🤍 Magdalena lights the night as a survivor.

“My name is Magdalena Hernandez. I am a two time cancer survivor and two time stem cell transplant recipient. I was diagnosed with Mixed Phenotype acute leukemia/lymphoma on May 25 2022, that was the day my life was forever altered. I am so grateful to be here and share my story in hopes of making others feel less alone.“

Join Magdalena at Orange County Light the Night on Saturday, October 24 at Mike Ward Park in Irvine at 5:00 pm! ✨ Click the 🔗 in our bio to register!

09/16/2026

Blood Cancer Awareness Month is for every single person in this community. ❤️

Whatever stage you are in, find resources here at the 🔗 in our bio.

09/08/2026

We are proud to introduce the newest member of our Board of Trustees, Keegan Moore! Thank you Keegan for your dedication and support to our mission.

Our Board of Trustees reflects a powerful collective of leaders whose guidance, passion, and vision help drive our work forward. We are strengthening our impact and moving closer to a world without blood cancers.

Please join us in welcoming Keegan 👏

09/02/2026

This summer, the Subaru Loves to Care® initiative showed the impact of coming together for those facing cancer. Across Southern California, 12 Subaru retailers partnered with 12 local hospitals, alongside Blood Cancer United, to provide comfort, encouragement, and hope. 🫶🏼

Together, we delivered:
💙 960 blankets
💙 200+ patient care kits
💌 Hundreds of Messages of Hope

Every blanket, care kit, and handwritten note served as a reminder that a caring community stands beside you.

Thank you to our Subaru retailers, hospital partners, volunteers, and supporters who helped make this year’s Subaru Loves to Care® initiative so meaningful. 💙

AutoNation Subaru Carlsbad x Scripps Memorial
Dalton Subaru x Prebys Cancer Center
DCH Subaru of Riverside x Loma Linda Cancer Center
Irvine Subaru x Kaiser Permanente Irvine
Hello Subaru of Temecula x Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta
Kearny Mesa Subaru x Scripps Green Hospital
Ocean Subaru of Fullerton x Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Palm Springs Subaru x Desert Regional Medical Center
Spreen Subaru San Bernardino x Loma Linda University Children's Health
Subaru Orange Coast x Rady Children’s Health | Orange County
Summit Subaru El Cajon x Jacobs Medical Center, UCSD
Subaru Dealership | Huntington Beach x Hoag Family Cancer Center

09/01/2026

Introducing our Inland Empire Light The Night White Lantern Holder, Oakley 🤍 Oakley lights the night for every child fighting cancer, every person fighting blood cancer, and every family walking this journey.

“A week after turning 3, Oakley was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She spent the next few years fighting through treatment with courage, strength while never letting the “scary” dull her light. At 5 1/2, Oakley finished treatment and rang the bell.” - Crystal, Mom

Join Oakley at Inland Empire Light the Night on Saturday, October 17 at Santana Regional Park in Corona at 5:00 pm! ✨

Click the 🔗 in our bio to register today in honor of September 🩸 and 🎗️