2025 AABB Annual Meeting to Feature Tom Whitehead as Keynote Speaker

AABB is pleased to welcome Tom Whitehead as the keynote speaker for the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting. Whitehead’s speech, sure to be a highlight of this year’s Annual Meeting, will take place during the General Session on the afternoon of the event’s first day (Saturday, Oct. 25)

Whitehead’s story is particularly relevant to the blood and biotherapies community. He is the father of Emily Whitehead, the first person to receive CAR T-cell therapy for pediatric cancer. Twelve years after receiving CAR T-cell therapy, Emily is cancer-free and is considered cured. Today, Tom and his family run the Emily Whitehead Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting patients and caregivers affected by childhood diseases and advocating for all patients who can be treated with advanced therapies. Since its inception, the Foundation has connected countless families with experts and clinical trials and helped pave the way for more than 40,000 patients to access CAR T-cell therapy. It has become the leading voice for the 80% of patients who lack access to advanced therapies.

As Whitehead will discuss in his keynote address, Emily was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia at age 5. She did not respond well to standard treatments and, eventually, was invited to enroll in a groundbreaking trial. As a participant in this trial, Emily became the first child in the world whose cancer was cured with CAR T-cell therapy. Whitehead will provide details about his experience and will share insights on the journey of patients and families navigating cancer, as well as the life-saving impact of CAR T-cell therapy for Emily.

A Powerful Story

AABB News spoke with Whitehead about his plans for his keynote address – and why his family’s story is particularly germane for the AABB Annual Meeting’s General Session.

Attendees will be inspired by Emily’s powerful story—how she went from facing failed standard cancer treatments to becoming the first child in the world to receive immunotherapy that ultimately cured her,” Whitehead said. “Her journey helped spark the cancer immunotherapy revolution.”

Whitehead said he is excited and proud to share his story with the AABB audience. After all, the work of many attendees directly relates to advances in health care that have benefited patients like Emily. “My goal is to put faces to the groundbreaking work being done in the field and remind attendees who their work is helping,” Whitehead said. “This is also a chance to say thank you to everyone working in the field.”

Giving Back

Whitehead said he and his family started the Emily Whitehead Foundation as a way to give back following Emily’s successful treatment. “Today, much of our Foundation’s work involves raising awareness about the potential of cutting-edge treatments like immunotherapy for cancer and other advanced therapies,” he said. “We also focus on advocating for patients – and their caregivers – and empowering them with tools to advocate for themselves.”

Whitehead said he is looking forward to talking more about the Foundation with AABB Annual Meeting’s attendees and acknowledged there is much overlap between the Foundation’s mission and the work of many blood and biotherapies professionals. “Importantly, we fund research that accelerates the development of innovative therapies, helping to advance the next generation of advanced therapy treatments,” he said.

Whitehead added that he is also looking forward to spending time in San Diego while he is in town for the AABB Annual Meeting. “We always make time for some family fun on our trips, and we love visiting San Diego,” he said. “We’re looking forward to trying new restaurants, enjoying the beautiful weather and hopefully taking a boat ride while we’re there.