LtCol Passerella spoke of how he met Chike Springer at Walter Reed, and Chike's positive character and strong spirit really caught his attention. He recalled that he told Chike, "It's gonna suck. It's a beast. Embrace the beast. 'Buckle your chin strap and fight back. You've got this.'” When he was asked to speak at this event, was devastated to learn about Chike's passing. We are so appreciative that LtCol Passerella shared his story to help us raise awareness and funds to advance lymphoma research and honor Chike Springer's legacy. He embodied the spirit of hope with every word, inspiring us all to fight back against lymphoma and do whatever we can to make a difference in the lives of those affected. He is an inspiring example of how to fight cancer with strength and grace.

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.

The Chike Springer Foundation is honored to have Dr. Kieron Dunleavy represent the Lymphoma Research Foundation as a guest speaker at the Fight Lymphoma Dinner Party. We are confident that his expertise and experience will help us raise awareness and funds to support lymphoma research and provide assistance to veterans with lymphoma.

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.