By Blood Cancer United
We’ve known since our organization’s founders, the de Villiers family, lost their son Robbie to leukemia in 1944 that the need to learn more about blood cancer is vast and urgent... And we could do something about it. As an organization, we’ve consistently evolved to serve people affected by not only leukemia, as Robbie was, but all blood cancers—including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, or any of the 100+ types.
Our mission: cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families.
These words serve as our compass. Everything we do—every study we fund; every resource we share with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals; every day spent on Capitol Hill; every step in our fundraising events—is in its pursuit.
If you’ve ever wondered to yourself, “why is the mission so broad? Why aren’t they just focused on a cure for blood cancer?”—you probably care deeply about this work, too.
The short answer: Patients need—and deserve—more than cures.
The longer answer is more nuanced.
Patient support and quality of life
It’s important to us to meet patients where they are—whether they just found out their diagnosis, are in active treatment, or are living through any stage of survivorship.
We’ve invested more than $2 billion in blood cancer research since 1949. Some of that research is dedicated to finding cures. And some of it improves patients’ daily lives—advancing therapies that reduce treatment-related side effects, help patients recover faster, and minimize long-term complications.
This research leads to better-tolerated treatments, more personalized care, and improved survivorship—ensuring patients not only live longer, but live better.
But as our Chief Medical Officer Gwen Nichols often reminds us: that research means nothing if patients can't access it.
Blood Cancer United's Office of Public Policy, working hand in hand with volunteers, advocates for laws that ensure patients can access and afford the cancer care they need. Because even though life‑changing treatments exist, many people still face barriers like:
- Enormous bills
- Crushing medical debt
- Gaps in coverage that interrupt treatment
We work to break down those barriers by pushing for laws that make healthcare affordable and make sure health insurance works the way it’s supposed to for patients.
We also conduct research on the healthcare system itself—to help identify and implement solutions that can better serve the needs of all patients.
And while research and policy change the landscape of cancer care, patients still need support navigating the day‑to‑day reality of a diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. That’s why we offer free, personalized resources to help people feel informed, supported, and less alone.
Whether it’s one‑on‑one guidance from an oncology professional, connection to financial assistance, educational materials written in plain language, or support groups that connect patients with others who genuinely understand—these services provide comfort, clarity, and stability when everything feels uncertain.
Healthcare professionals can also gain free access to continuing education (CE) and continuing medical education (CME) programs, up-to-date information, and our Treating Blood Cancers podcast. Because ensuring patients receive the best possible support includes support from their care team.
Research can be complex
Blood cancer isn’t one single disease with one single cure. There are more than 100+ types, each with its own biology, behavior, and treatment needs—and that’s not even considering how each person’s body may respond differently.
The reality is: “finding a cure" is not a single, immediate task. And for many patients, identifying and administering the right treatment is just one part of meeting many of their needs—financial, social, emotional, and more.
Progress comes from many directions at once.
Some research works toward understanding the basic science behind how blood cancers develop. Some focuses on earlier detection or predicting how a person will respond to treatment. Other studies help refine existing therapies, so they cause fewer side effects or fit better with a patient’s daily life. All of this work matters.
Investing across this full spectrum—detection, treatment, quality‑of‑life, and the foundational science that makes breakthroughs possible—helps people feel better today and sets the stage for the cures of tomorrow. It’s a whole ecosystem of discovery that moves science forward in real, meaningful ways.
All together
So, to revisit that question: “Why is the mission so broad? Why aren’t they just focused on a cure for blood cancer?”
Patients need—and deserve—more than cures. We help patients in ways that extend far beyond trailblazing biomedical research.
That might be a mom who could only get a bone marrow transplant after Blood Cancer United helped change her state’s laws.
Or the business owner who could only get a lifesaving clinical trial thanks to our Nurse Navigators’ help sorting through travel logistics.
Or the student who couldn’t figure out how to pay for his chemotherapy until he connected with a case manager who helped him find financial assistance.
The Blood Cancer United mission isn’t a nebulous, unattainable statement. It’s a promise—a commitment that guides every aspect of this organization. Every dollar raised is invested with intention: to move the mission forward. Closer to cures.
The takeaway is simple: there’s no single path to progress. Meaningful change for people affected by blood cancer is possible when science advances, when laws evolve, and when people get the support they need to navigate each day with confidence. That’s the work we’re doing—steadily, thoughtfully, and always with patients at the center.
And while the needs are vast, so is the determination of this community. We’ve been at this for more than 75 years, continually expanding, adapting, and growing to reflect what people with blood cancer truly need. That is legacy—and proof that we’re not going anywhere until the mission is complete.
We’re not waiting for the future to improve lives—we’re doing it right now. And with the strength of this community behind us, we’ll keep moving forward until all people with blood cancer can live longer, better lives.
