More than a campaign: centering people with blood cancer

This fall, for the first time in more than a decade, we launched a national advertising campaign not just to share our new name—Blood Cancer United—but to reaffirm our promise: to put people with blood cancer at the center of everything we do.

This is so much more than an announcement about becoming Blood Cancer United. It’s a bold step rooted in years of patient research and feedback. Our new name and brand were designed to welcome every person affected by blood cancer, no matter their diagnosis. We approached this redesign with one goal in mind: to center the person behind the diagnosis. That philosophy has shaped everything—from our messaging to our new look and feel, our tone of voice, and the way we tell stories.

Our campaign message—“We’re all about blood cancer. So people with blood cancer can be about everything else.”—comes directly from what patients told us. The stress of the disease is real, but their identity goes far beyond cancer. They have passions to pursue, lives to lead with family and friends, and moments big and small to savor.

Why now?

Starting this Blood Cancer Awareness month, we wanted to make it as easy as possible for all blood cancer patients and families to find a home base of support. We wanted to deliver clarity and consistency, so that anyone facing one of the 100+ types of blood cancers would recognize that this community has always been for them. But more importantly, we wanted to respond to the voices of patients and survivors who told us what it feels like to live with blood cancer—and what it means to be connected, supported, and seen.

We know the stakes are higher for patients with blood cancer right now. 

We've heard that too many feel lost when a blood cancer diagnosis upends their lives. They come to us overwhelmed—burdened by the cost of care, worried about the future of research innovation, and unsure where to turn. And too many still don’t know that we provide free one-on-one support, financial resources, guidance through treatment, advocacy for equitable access to care, and funding for breakthrough research.

A campaign that reaches beyond our existing community is one of the most effective ways to raise awareness and change perceptions.  Because how can we continue to stay true to our mission, if we are a secret to the people who need us the most? 

Not only can the campaign momentum behind this new brand help us reach more patients, it can also help us add more years of life by reaching more of the scientists, supporters, and volunteers to help us fuel innovative research and advance policy changes that make treatments accessible.

Why it matters for patients

At the heart of this campaign are the stories of real people affected by blood cancer. These visual stories remind us that every person we reach can represent more time, more moments with loved ones, and more possibility. 

Our bold goal—to help people with blood cancer gain one million more years of life by 2040—is only possible if we ensure that no one faces blood cancer alone.

Kenya is a traveler, dancer, and music lover whose passion for helping others shines brighter than her cancer. Reaching out to our team after her diagnosis gave her the strength to move forward. Now, as a volunteer, she says she is able to “spark a light for others.”

“My hope is that when others living with blood cancer see the commercial, they feel encouraged and less alone. I want them to know there is life beyond the diagnosis and that hope is real,” she said.

Rob is a producer and actor who turned his survivorship into organizing fundraising events that have raised tens of thousands of dollars. Appearing in our English and Spanish PSAs, playing in both national and local markets, was a “full-circle moment” for him.

He said, “Having the chance to help bridge a gap and make these resources more accessible is incredibly meaningful to me.”

Suleika Jaouad—writer, artist, advocate, and spokesperson for our campaign—reminds us that her AML diagnosis is the least interesting thing about her. Her recent appearance on Good Morning America amplified our message to new audiences. And the messages are breaking through. One woman with a rare blood cancer told our staff she didn’t realize we could help her until she saw Suleika on TV. That moment of recognition gave her the courage to reach out. That’s what this campaign is all about. 

We’re highlighting stories of hope, so people know they don’t have to face this diagnosis alone. We’re showcasing the vulnerability, strength, resilience, and passions of these survivors so audiences see a place for themselves in our community. And we’re leveraging our platforms to educate the public about blood cancers, for which there are no screenings or methods of prevention, making early detection and diagnosis even more critical.

Why this is just the beginning

It’s all about impact. The more gaps we can fill in research funding and advocacy, the more supporters and partners join us in our mission, and the more patients we reach, the more time, more moments, we give to people with blood cancer.

People are telling us this campaign makes them feel seen, hopeful, and connected. It has helped patients with blood cancers other than leukemia or lymphoma know they have a place to come to.

We now have a clear, compelling way to show the world who we are, who we serve, and our impact on real people's lives. 

It is hopeful. It is human. And it is only the beginning.

Join us to improve and extend lives

Together, we can help people with blood cancer gain one million more years of life by 2040.