I'm thrilled to introduce you to Susan Hall, Blue Faery's new and first full-time Development Manager. You may have met Susan on Zoom or in person at The Liver Meeting or ASCO GI. She's been with us just over five months, and I'm so happy to have her on our team. If you have any questions about giving, including legacy gifts, please email Susan.

Last month, Susan and I attended ASCO GI in San Francisco. Between us, we participated in two patient advisory boards, held six meetings, and attended two expert seminars. We even squeezed in a Big Bus Tour of the city and Susan met one of our Board Directors Sarah Schiltz in person. The weather was beautiful, too!

In this profound episode, Andrea Wilson Woods shares her deeply personal journey of resilience and advocacy, inspired by her sister Adrienne's courageous battle with primary liver cancer. As the founder of Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, Andrea reveals how Adrienne's humor, passion for music, and unbreakable spirit shaped their bond and her mission to support liver cancer patients and families. She discusses the importance of "realistic hope", honest patient-provider communication, and how Blue Faery is making vital resources accessible to diverse communities. Tune in to hear how Andrea turned heartbreak into purpose, creating a lasting impact through advocacy, education, and a commitment to honoring Adrienne's legacy.

In this final episode of the four-part series on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hosted by the Oncology Brothers, Drs Rohit and Rahul Gosain, the discussion focuses on the evolving role of immunotherapy (IO) in intermediate HCC.

The episode explores multimodal approaches that combine IO and IO-based therapies with loco-regional treatments and highlights the essential role of a multidisciplinary care team.

I can't believe it's already mid-January 2025! We hope you had a safe and wonderful holiday with your friends and family. If you thought you missed our December newsletter, you didn't. We've been moving to a new CRM, and as all data moves are, it's been a bit of a work in progress. 

Anyway, Blue Faery is kicking off the year by attending ASCO GI in San Francisco next week. If you plan to attend and want to meet, be sure to reach out to me. Next month, we're launching the fifth year of our Love Your Liver program. We have two workshops for Blacks/African Americans at risk for liver disease or liver cancer. Both virtual workshops are led by doctors who represent the community. Scroll down to register today!

In the third of this 4-part podcast series on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the Oncology Brothers, Dr Rahul and Dr Rohit Gosain, are joined by hepatologist Dr Maria Reig and interventional radiologist Dr Emil Cohen to explore treatment strategies for patients with intermediate-stage HCC.

A REALTOR®/Broker Associate Jennifer Schumacher has volunteered for several local charities over the past 18 years. Her Mom, Carol, was diagnosed with HCC in 2023, and Jennifer became her primary caregiver for the next 14 months during her tenacious battle. Two and a half months into Carol’s diagnosis, Jennifer was diagnosed with Stage III Kidney Cancer and immediately had her kidney removed. Jennifer’s cancer journey gave her unique insight as to what it’s like to be both a cancer patient and a caregiver. Her mother, Carol, was a pillar of strength in life and in death.

Hosts Kevin Price and Andrea Wilson Woods visited Frankie Osborne, our next guest for the Fighting Liver Cancer series. Frankie has metastatic pancreatobiliary adenocarcinoma, the most common type of pancreatic cancer, that has spread to her liver. While it’s not primary liver cancer, Frankie is a member of our community and she has an important message to share.

Fascinating as always, what is particularly interesting about this interview is that she was diagnosed while her mother was fighting her on liver cancer diagnosis.

In this heartfelt episode, Andrea opens up about her personal journey, sharing the tough decisions, emotional hurdles, and vital lessons she’s learned along the way. But it doesn’t stop there. She’ll reveal the practical, actionable steps families can take to support their loved ones, both emotionally and medically, and how critical psychosocial support is in the cancer journey.

Plus, you’ll hear all about the Blue Faery’s educational programs, cutting-edge research, and its mission to tackle liver cancer head-on.

In the second episode of a 4-part podcast series on HCC, the Oncology Brothers, Drs Rahul and Rohit Gosain, host a podcast discussion between Dr Lorenza Rimassa and Prof. Arndt Vogel on 2nd line treatment selection in advanced HCC and when to switch. 

In the first of this 4-part podcast series, Dr Rachna Shroff and the Oncology Brothers, Drs Rohit and Rahul Gosain, explore the use of immunotherapy (IO) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC).

I’m excited to attend The Liver Meeting later this week in San Diego. It’s not just the good weather and pickleball possibilities (yep—there’s a pickleball tournament on-site), but also a wonderful opportunity to have my US-based team together in one place at the same time. We look forward to meeting you at our Booth #710, attending sessions, and networking with peers. Additionally, I am visiting Los Angeles after the meeting, and as always, my first stop is tending to my sister Adrienne’s grave at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

We have other great news to share! In collaboration with City of Hope and Genentech, Blue Faery has several co-authors on the now published paper titled Why Liver Cancer Hits Home: Bridging Healthcare Disparities in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community. Special thanks to Dr. Daneng Li, Spencer Cheng, and Zeena Chi for bringing together an amazing group of talented contributors.

This year, in honor of Liver Cancer Awareness Month, Eureka Therapeutics held a special event in recognition of all patient's battling liver cancer. This event featured a special guest, Ms. Sarah Schiltz, who shared her experiences as a patient advocate and as a caregiver to her husband, Greg, who battled hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; a type of liver cancer). This video was created to serve as a resource for those currently battling liver cancer and their loved ones.

Price and Woods visit with Dr. Sarah Bauer. They discuss how diabetes is a risk factor for liver cancer that few people acknowledge and is rarely discussed among doctors and patients, Dr. Bauer provides an important story about her father in this conversation.

Success stories frequently capture our attention, it’s often the narratives of overcoming adversity that offer the most profound lessons. Such stories not only reflect resilience and growth but also challenge us to think about how we can transform our own struggles into platforms for leading and teaching others. A prime example of transforming life’s toughest moments into a force for good can be seen in the journey of Andrea Wilson Woods.

Andrea Wilson Woods is a keynote speaker and a writer who loves to tell stories. She is also a patient advocate who founded the nonprofit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association in memory of her sister Adrienne who was diagnosed with liver cancer when she was 15. Andrea was Adrienne’s legal guardian and her best-selling and award-winning book, Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days, is a medical memoir about both raising and losing her sister. In this podcast:

The prevalence and prognosis of liver cancer which is often diagnosed in late stages due to the liver's lack of pain receptors.

How losing her sister led Andrea to found the Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, also known as Blue Faery.

The importance of assertiveness and advocacy in healthcare settings.

When people ask what Liver Cancer Awareness Month means to me, I’m often at a loss for words. (A rare occurrence!) I think to myself—only a month? That’s it? You see … when you lose the most important person in your life to a disease, you live with it every day. Even when you know you did the absolute best you could, you still think about what you could have done differently.