Whitney J. Christy's treatment began in 2002, when cancer care and bone marrow transplantation were still rapidly evolving. He faced an exceptionally rare cancer diagnosis. Over the course of 50 years, fewer than 1% of African American men his age had been diagnosed with the same cancer.

Though treatment and bone marrow transplant successfully brought him into remission, his cancer journey was extraordinarily difficult. He survived intensive chemotherapy, total-body radiation, graft-versus-host disease, multiple strokes, seizures, and significant vision loss that required the constant use of artificial tears. For more than a decade, he depended on around-the-clock care from home health nurses, his wife, and his daughters. The experiences of patients like Mr. Christy, together with decades of research and medical advancement, have contributed to a deeper understanding of blood cancers and improvements in how they are treated today.

Mr. Christy was an avid outdoorsman lived and worked in South Louisiana’s industrial corridor for 40 years —an area widely known as “Cancer Alley,” where generations of families have faced concerns about prolonged exposure to industrial pollution and its potential effects on their health. Although no single exposure can fully explain any individual cancer diagnosis, his story cannot be separated from the broader environmental realities affecting communities along the Mississippi River. As additional industrial facilities are proposed and developed throughout the region, the need to study environmental cancer risks, strengthen prevention efforts, and develop more effective treatments has become increasingly urgent.

The Whitney Joseph Christy Memorial Endowment Fund for Blood Cancer & Bone Marrow Research supports continued research and advancement in the fight against leukemia and other blood and bone marrow disorders. Through Johns Hopkins and private initiatives such as Project SOAR—Supporting Oncology Advancement and Research—the fund supports efforts to advance cancer research, investigate contributing risk factors, improve treatments, and create better outcomes for patients and their families.

Together, these memorials represent three critical parts of the fight against blood cancer: advancing research that leads to better prevention and treatment, helping patients access the donors and transplantation resources that can make those treatments possible, and supporting the caregivers and families navigating this difficult journey. They also reflect a commitment to ensuring that cancers connected to environmental and occupational risks are studied, understood, and prevented from continuing to devastate families and communities.

Leading the Charge in Cancer Research & Treatment

Dr. B. Douglas Smith is an Oncologist in Baltimore caring for patients with leukemias and other blood andbone marrow disorders and he is recognized nationally as an expert in the care of patients with these disorders and as a leader in novel therapeutics for these conditions.He is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research. He has served on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline panel for CML since 2001 and previously served on the AML panel from 2001-2015. Dr. Smith has extensive experience in the regulatory aspects of drug development and he currently serves as the Chair of the Johns Hopkins Institutional Review Board.

Dr. Robert Veith served as Whitney Christy’s oncologist from his initial leukemia diagnosis through chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, and remission. Although Mr. Christy was initially given a prognosis of potentially less than two years, he beat cancer and entered remission approximately three years after his diagnosis under Dr. Veith’s care. Dr. Veith remained involved in his healthcare until Mr. Christy’s passing in 2018—a relationship spanning over 15 years. Dr. Veith is an active member of several prestigious professional organizations, including the American Society of Hematology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Federation for Clinical Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Southwest Oncology Group. His expertise and contributions to the field have seen him featured in 20 publications, reflecting his commitment to advancing cancer care and research.  
 
Sources:
Louisiana's Cancer Alley is More Deadly Than Previously Imagined
Johns Hopkins • August 4, 2025
Foot Soldier’ Plays Bone-Marrow Matchmaker
NBC News • November 28, 2012