Tom Whitehead to Deliver Keynote Address at 2025 AABB Annual Meeting

AABB is pleased to announce that Tom Whitehead, co-founder of the Emily Whitehead Foundation and father of the first pediatric patient to receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, will deliver the keynote address at the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting.

In 2012, Tom Whitehead’s daughter, Emily Whitehead, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia that did not respond to standard treatments. As a last resort, she was enrolled in a groundbreaking clinical trial and became the first child in the world to receive CAR T-cell therapy. The treatment was a success; she has been cancer-free for more than 12 years.

Following Emily Whitehead’s recovery, Tom Whitehead and his wife, Kari Whitehead, launched the Emily Whitehead Foundation to raise awareness of pediatric cancer immunotherapy and support other families facing similar challenges. Since its founding, the Foundation has helped connect families to clinical trials and experts, supported access to CAR T-cell therapy for more than 40,000 patients and raised more than $2 million for research.

During his speech, Tom Whitehead will share insights on the journey of patients and families navigating cancer, as well as the life-saving impact of CAR T-cell therapy on his daughter’s recovery. 

The keynote speech will be part of the Annual Meeting General Session, taking place on the first day of the meeting. The General Session will also feature remarks from AABB President Meghan Delaney, DO, MPH; AABB CEO Debra BenAvram; and the presentation of the 2025 President’s Awards. This session will lead into the opening reception in the Exhibit Hall. 

The 2025 AABB Annual Meeting will take place Oct. 25-28 in San Diego. Member registration opens June 4.