Advocacy - The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast

Choosing the right health insurance plan can make all the difference in protecting your health and finances.

In this episode, Bethany Lilly, Executive Director of Public Policy at Blood Cancer United, discusses important updates to healthcare insurance enrollment for 2026. Bethany explains what patients and caregivers need to know about changes to the Healthcare Marketplace and Medicare, how to avoid falling into medical debt, and the resources available to help you make informed decisions.

Whether you’re reviewing employer coverage, Marketplace plans, or Medicare options, this episode will help you prepare with confidence.

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The post Health Coverage for 2026 and Protecting Yourself from Medical Debt first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

In this episode, we speak with Dianne Callahan, four-time cancer survivor, best-selling author, speaker, and patient advocate. Dianne shares her experiences with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and breast cancer, stem cell transplant, and survivorship while highlighting the importance of advocacy, joy, and intention in life after diagnosis. From her work with fundraising campaigns to legislative advocacy on Capitol Hill, Dianne offers inspiring insights on resilience, hope, and the power of living intentionally.

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Supported by Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group.

The post Joy, Hope, and Healing Beyond a Cancer Diagnosis first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

In this episode, we speak with Mary Wells, who was diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis in 2018, a rare blood cancer that falls under the umbrella of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). Mary walks us through her journey, from the side effects and emotional toll of cancer to finding the right treatment that allowed her to reclaim her life.

Mary shares the ups and downs of watch-and-wait periods, switching medications, and navigating side effects. Along the way, she advocated for her own care and partnered closely with her doctor, making shared decisions that ultimately led her to a treatment that works best for her.

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Additional LLS Support Resources: 

Supported by GSK plc.

The post Choosing the Path Forward: Shared Decisions in Myelofibrosis Care first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

There are new Medicare changes starting in January 2025 that will benefit cancer patients.   LLS Vice President of Federal Affairs, Brian Connell, joins us again on The Bloodline to inform us about these new changes and how they will impact Medicare patients.      

In this episode, you will learn about the key changes for Part D, the prescription drug plan for Medicare, as well as the drug plan for Medicare Advantage. One of these new changes requires action on the part of the Medicare enrollee, so be sure to tune in to learn more about how you can benefit.  

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Additional LLS Support Resources: 

The post Medicare Updates: What You Need to Know for 2025 first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Cancer related costs can be an overwhelming burden for patients on Medicare. However, new changes in Medicare will directly impact cancer patients and ease this financial burden.

In this episode, Brian Connell, the Vice President of Federal Affairs at LLS, discusses the new changes in Medicare for 2024 and 2025, as a result of the recent Inflation Reduction Act. Medicare recipients will benefit from these important changes, making cancer treatment more affordable and accessible.

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The post Be Informed: Beneficial Medicare Changes first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join us as we speak with Charles Huang and Dr. Gabriel Mannis in honor of AML Awareness Day (April 21st). In this episode, Charles tells us about his treatment for AML, participation in clinical trials, and shares about his struggle to find a bone marrow donor as an Asian Pacific Islander. Charles then turned his struggle into legislation to make it easier to join a bone marrow donor registry to save lives. Dr. Mannis, of Stanford Medicine, shares about the latest advances in AML research, from clinical trials in Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) therapy to medications that reduce graft-vs-host disease (GVHD). With research advancing quickly in the field of AML treatment, patients and caregivers are given reasons to have hope after the uncertainty of a diagnosis.

Mentioned on this episode: 

• Acute Myeloid Leukemia
• Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
• Minimal/Measurable Residual Disease
• CAR T-cell Therapy
• Stem Cell Transplant
• Graft-Vs-Host-Disease (GVHD)
• Charlie’s Law
• Be The Match – Bone Marrow Donor Registry
• LLS Advocacy & Public Policy
• Innovative Therapies in Acute Leukemias podcast episode

Additional LLS Support Resources: 

• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs 
• Clinical Trial Support Center
• Free booklets 
• Financial support
• Online chats 
• Caregiver support 
• LLS Community 
• Support groups 
• Free Nutrition Consultations 
• LLS Myeloma Link
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program 
• Young Adult Resources
• Survivorship Workbook

Support for this episode provided by Astellas and Genentech, Inc & Biogen.

The post Patient-Doctor Perspectives: Hope in the Uncertainty of AML first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join us as we speak with Donnie Hill, a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) / small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) patient and his doctor, James Essell, MD, of Oncology Hematology Care, Inc. in Cincinnati, OH. In this episode, Donnie and Dr. Essell discuss the importance of shared decision making (SDM) and how they worked together to determine the best treatment course for Donnie’s CLL/SLL. Shared decision making is a key component of patient-centered healthcare that balances risks and expected outcomes with patient preferences and values. Be sure to tune into this real-world example of how SDM works and how patients can have open communication with their healthcare team.

Mentioned on this episode: 

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
• Small Cell Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL)
• Shared Decision Making Fact Sheet
• Shared Decision Making in Chronic Leukemias immersive program
• Anxiety and Hope: Living with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) podcast episode
• Minimal/Measurable Residual Disease
• Information Specialists

Additional LLS Support Resources: 

• Free telephone/web patient programs 
• Clinical Trial Support Center
• Free booklets 
• Financial support
• Online chats 
• Caregiver support 
• LLS Community 
• Support groups 
• Free Nutrition Consultations 
• LLS Advocacy
• LLS Myeloma Link

Support for this episode provided by AbbVie Inc. and Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group.

The post Patient-Doctor Perspectives: Shared Decision Making first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join us as we speak to Donnie Hill, a patient living with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). In this episode, Donnie shares his experience and the stresses of living with a chronic disease like CLL/SLL, the various treatments he has had since he was diagnosed in 2008 and how he has worked with his doctor to determine the best treatment for him. Don’t miss this engaging story of how, throughout his cancer journey, Donnie continues to celebrate life and hope with volunteering, advocacy and the love of his family.

Mentioned on this episode: 

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
• Small Cell Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL)
• Shared Decision Making in Chronic Leukemias
• Blood Cancer Conferences
• Light The Night
• Man and Woman of the Year
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program
• Information Specialists

Additional LLS Support Resources: 

• Free telephone/web patient programs 
• Clinical Trial Support Center
• Free booklets 
• Financial support
• Online chats 
• Caregiver support 
• LLS Community 
• Support groups 
• Free Nutrition Consultations 
• LLS Advocacy
• LLS Myeloma Link

Support for this episode provided by Eli Lilly.

The post Anxiety and Hope: Living with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join us as we speak with Chelsea Brickham, a transgender model, actress, and professional cosplayer who was diagnosed with Stage II Hodgkin lymphoma in 2013. In this episode, Chelsea shares with us what it was like to go through cancer as a transgender female, the reaction from her family and friends, and how she maintained her femininity during treatment. Since her treatment, she has been active in spreading awareness of LGBTQ+ issues at comic conventions and on social media.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Chelsea on TikTok
• CancerCon by Stupid Cancer
• LLS Community
• Comic-Con

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Information Specialists 
• Young Adult Resources
• Clinical Trial Support Center
• Free telephone/web patient programs 
• Free booklets 
• Financial support 
• Online chats 
• Caregiver support 
• LLS Community 
• Support groups 
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program 
• Free Nutrition Consultations 

Support for this episode provided by Seagen.

The post Making Your Mark: A Transgender Cancer Patient Story first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join us as we speak with David Wallace, a polycythemia vera (PV) patient and advocate.  In this episode, David shares how he struggled to get his diagnosis, advocated to get the treatment he needed, and finally how he found a specialist that was able to treat his PV. He used his struggles to create the website, PV Reporter and nonprofit, MPN Cancer Connection, to educate patients about their disease, help them find resources, and increase awareness of MPNs. David encourages all patients to become their own advocates and to actively participate in their cancer journey.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Polycythemia Vera (PV)
• Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs)
• PV Reporter
• MPN Cancer Connection

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Information Specialists 
• Clinical Trial Support Center
• Free telephone/web patient programs 
• Free booklets 
• Financial support 
• Online chats 
• Caregiver support 
• LLS Community 
• Support groups 
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program 
• Free Nutrition Consultations 

Support for this episode provided by Incyte.

The post Pushing for a Diagnosis: A Polycythemia Vera (PV) Story first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.