For nearly five years, Kelley stood beside her partner, Kerry, as he fought diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Six chemotherapy regimens, ten rounds of radiation, a CyberKnife treatment and countless hospital stays. She was there through every step, because, as she puts it, "that's what you do for the person who is your whole world." Kerry passed away in June of this year.

"Kerry fought with grace and courage that I will spend the rest of my life trying to live up to," Kelley says. "And now that he's gone, I refuse to let that fight mean nothing."

In memory of Kerry, Kelley participated in Light the Night this fall, Blood Cancer United's signature fundraising event, alongside many of her Cambia colleagues. Since 1949, Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) has invested nearly $1.7 billion in groundbreaking research, helping pioneer today's most innovative blood cancer treatments.

“Blood Cancer United funds treatments that didn't exist five years ago but might exist five years from now because of what we do today," Kelley explains. "It means that somewhere out there, someone gets to hold on a little longer to the person they can't imagine living without. You don't have to have been touched by cancer to understand what it means to love someone and be willing to do anything to keep them here.”

Cambia employees from Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington participated in Light the Night events this fall in support of Kelley or in honor of their own loved ones. Cambia Health Foundation sponsored the event across the region to help amplify the incredible impact that employees were already making. Cambia employees who volunteered to walk also had access to our Dollars for Doers program where each volunteer hour becomes a $20 donation that employees can direct to a cause they care about, making every hour count even more.

We're inspired by Cambia employees who show up for their loved ones and in support of their colleagues and communities. Blood Cancer United has an ambitious goal: by 2040, they want to help people with blood cancer gain more than one million additional years of life. That represents countless more birthdays, graduations and cherished moments.

For Kelley, every one of those moments matters. "Kerry deserved more time," she says. "So do so many others."

To learn more about Kelley's efforts to support Blood Cancer United, click here.