CURE acknowledged 4 exceptional people through the 2025 Blood Most cancers Heroes celebration, an occasion devoted to honoring those that make a profound impression on individuals residing with leukemia, lymphoma, a number of myeloma and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs)/myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The occasion was held in partnership with Blood Most cancers United, whose mission facilities on elevating affected person voices and strengthening group assist for all people affected by blood cancers.
This 12 months’s honorees included leaders, advocates, survivors and caregivers whose work has formed affected person assist, schooling and empowerment throughout the blood most cancers panorama. Finalists have been nominated by sufferers, caregivers, colleagues and group members who shared private tales illustrating their impression.
The night additionally featured keynote speaker Suleika Jaouad, Emmy Award-winning journalist and New York Instances bestselling creator of “Between Two Kingdoms” and “The E book of Alchemy.” A 3-time most cancers survivor, Jaouad is understood for her groundbreaking New York Instances column and video collection “Life, Interrupted,” in addition to her international inventive group, The Isolation Journals. Her story has impressed tens of millions, and her phrases provided a deeply resonant reflection on vulnerability, creativity, survivorship and which means.
“Far tougher than the therapy uncomfortable side effects, much more horrifying than even the opportunity of demise, was the extraordinary sense of isolation I felt — and that’s the reason connection and being believed matter a lot,” Jaouad mentioned throughout her keynote speech.
Jaouad spoke concerning the realities of sickness — the disorientation, the worry, the sudden magnificence — and the individuals who assist mild the way in which ahead. She shared how her diagnoses formed her understanding of resilience and the therapeutic energy of storytelling, group and artwork.
“I may report from the entrance strains of my hospital mattress, from a really completely different sort of battle zone, and remodel that sense of isolation into an expertise of group.”
Her message underscored the spirit of the Blood Most cancers Heroes occasion: that therapeutic extends past therapy, and the assist of others can carry sufferers by their darkest moments.
“Though my prognosis could also be worse than it’s ever been, my relationship to the sickness is more healthy than it’s ever been. I’m simply attempting to stay alongside it and maintain residing our stunning life.”
Honoring the 2025 Blood Most cancers Heroes Finalists
Leukemia: Joe McDonough, The Andrew McDonough B+ Basis — Wilmington, DE
McDonough was nominated for his tireless work supporting households going through childhood most cancers by the B+ Basis, based in honor of his son Andrew. For households navigating leukemia, his group has change into a lifeline of economic help, emotional assist and hope.
His nominator emphasised the depth of his dedication:
“I’ve a entrance row seat to the wonderful particular person Joe is and I’m repeatedly amazed by his willpower to battle childhood most cancers.”
She additionally shared Joe’s highly effective metaphor for what it means to work towards a remedy:
“At some point, somebody goes to place the flag on the high of the metaphoric constructing when childhood most cancers is cured. However to try this, each ground of the skyscraper have to be constructed. Each window set, each wall painted.”
She added, “Joe has been so instrumental in constructing that skyscraper.”
Lymphoma: Invoice Potts, 5-Time Survivor — St. Petersburg, FL
Potts was nominated for his dedication to serving to others navigate the complicated emotional and logistical challenges of blood most cancers. As a five-time lymphoma survivor, he has turned his expertise right into a mission to information and empower others going through comparable diagnoses.
His daughter described his years of resilience with admiration:
“I haven’t met anybody who has battled most cancers a lot.”
Much more, she shared how his optimism formed their lives:
“His positivity was relentless and lifted up anybody who crossed paths with him.”
She additionally highlighted the impression of his guide for newly recognized sufferers:
“Some say it actually saved their life.”
A number of Myeloma: Oya Gilbert, Well being, Hope, Hip-Hop Basis — Greencastle, PA
Gilbert was nominated for his progressive work merging music, mentorship and well being schooling to uplift sufferers and households affected by a number of myeloma. His basis builds group and supplies important assist for individuals who might in any other case really feel neglected.
His nominator shared the profound injustice of his diagnostic journey, “Healthcare suppliers in his rural group misattributed his signs to nervousness and dismissed his considerations.”
She additionally underscored the magnitude of his advocacy:
“Oya has distinguished himself as a trailblazer in patient-led analysis and advocacy.”
Recognizing his cultural impression, she wrote:
“Understanding hip-hop’s highly effective cultural affect, Oya based the Well being, Hope, & Hip-Hop Basis, pioneering an progressive strategy to well being schooling.”
MPNs/MDS: Dr. Faseeh Khaja, Pinellas Hematology and Oncology — Trinity, FL
Though Dr. Khaja was unable to attend the ceremony, his nominator shared tales highlighting his compassion, readability and unwavering dedication to educating and empowering sufferers with power blood cancers.
She described the second that outlined their bond:
“Throughout a very troublesome ICU keep, he sat down in entrance of my hospital mattress, ran his arms over his face, and sighed, ‘Mayra, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.’”
Her response sealed their partnership: “I’ll do no matter it takes — simply inform me what to do.”
She added, “He gave me again hope.”
A Evening of Gratitude and Connection
Kristie Kahl, vp of oncology content material at MJH Life Sciences and host of the occasion, highlighted the significance of honoring people who not solely assist blood most cancers communities but in addition embody hope, power and resilience. “Tonight marks an inspiring milestone as we have fun people whose compassion and management uplift your entire blood most cancers group,” she mentioned.
James Rivellino, senior director of gross sales for CURE and Focused Oncology, echoed that message, including, “These heroes remind us why our work issues. Their dedication strengthens sufferers, caregivers, and the oncology group as a complete.”
The Blood Most cancers Heroes celebration introduced collectively sufferers, caregivers, clinicians, advocates and supporters for a night centered on group and recognition. As nominations have been learn, it was clear that every hero’s impression prolonged far past medical care or advocacy — these people grew to become anchors for sufferers throughout their most unsure moments.
By its partnership with Blood Most cancers United, CURE continues its mission to uplift affected person voices, amplify tales of advocacy and survival and supply trusted data for people and households affected by blood most cancers.
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