Recapping 2022 at the Chike Springer Foundation: An Impactful Year of Giving! It has been a year of growth and progress here at the Chike Springer Foundation. We worked hard to raise awareness about lymphoma and to fund research initiatives focused on helping those impacted by this disease.

Senator Dan Sullivan proudly spoke of Chike during the event, painting an inspiring portrait of someone who was heroic yet humble and found fullness in life through his commitment to helping those around him. Chike served as a staff assistant and legislative correspondent on Team Sullivan. Senator Sullivan stressed the importance of funding research that caters to diverse communities, including Active Military Members and Veterans, speaking with emotion as he regaled stories about Chike's humble character and how he led a full life.

Lyndsay Springer is making a difference in the fight against lymphoma, and using her late husband's legacy to help others affected by the disease. She is the CEO and founder of the Chike Springer Foundation, established to advance lymphoma research and make it more diverse.

"Unfortunately, there are large gaps and issues of equity in cancer research. Some of the statistically under-represented groups in Lymphoma include: Military / Veterans, Adolescent and Young Adults, and People of Color. Chike intersected all three of those groups and these groups are the groups we focus on."

The Fight Lymphoma Dinner Party was a truly memorable evening, and we are so grateful for the generosity of all those who attended.

Proceeds from the event will fund innovative research on improving care for lymphoma patients, survivors, their families, and caregivers. We also would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our powerful speakers—Senator Dan Sullivan, Dr. Kieron Dunleavy, LtCol Chris Passerella, and Lyndsay Springer—for their inspiring words of hope and strength.

Dr. Dunleavy, a member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board, spoke about the importance of funding research to help those affected by this terrible disease and underscored how it could ultimately improve patient outcomes. He highlighted the progress made in understanding lymphoma, from diagnosis to treatment, and expressed his gratitude that patients have been able to benefit from recent research. He also discussed why funding is necessary for furthering our knowledge of this disease.

We're excited to announce that the Lymphoma Research Foundation invited us to participate in the LRF CEO Advisory Committee. This committee aims to elevate patient and caregiver voices within the Lymphoma Community to inform programs and initiatives within the LRF. The committee is made up of about a dozen people from across the United States and Canada, meeting twice a year to discuss special topics. Chike's brother, Adwin, and I are proud to represent the Chike Springer Foundation and continue to advocate for underrepresented groups.

We had a great time representing the Chike Springer Foundation in June at the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) AYA conference. This year was the first year they included patient advocates and we were one of three represented. We had the opportunity to learn more about the research needs of our community and connect with others who are passionate about making a difference through innovative research.

This June we hosted a Photo Challenge Fundraiser to raise money to fund lymphoma research and increase public awareness about lymphoma, the most common type of blood cancer. We asked participants to take pictures with their Chike Springer Foundation hats and flags to complete photo challenges and earn points. Our event sponsors generously donated $1 for every point earned during the challenge.