Building on first-year impact, renewed program expands support for caregivers and helps more patients access CAR T-cell therapy nationwide

ATLANTA, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American Cancer Society today announced an expanded effort to improve access to help more people with blood cancers access CAR T-cell therapy, through a renewed program supported by Kite, a Gilead company. Building on a successful first year, Kite’s sponsorship of American Cancer Society programs aims to reduce non-clinical barriers to CAR T-cell therapy by addressing unmet caregiver needs, helping to ensure more patients can benefit from advanced treatment regardless of where they live or the resources they have available.

Launched in 2025, the initiative has demonstrated that investing in caregiver support can improve access to advanced treatments. The next phase will aim to close remaining gaps across the care continuum. With support from Kite, the American Cancer Society will work to strengthen the support infrastructure from diagnosis through survivorship by expanding financial assistance, deepening insights into patient and caregiver challenges, and accelerating the adoption of best practices across treatment centers nationwide.

“Initiatives like this are essential to achieving our mission of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone,” said Nickki Reeves, senior vice president, corporate alliances at the American Cancer Society. “Supported by Kite, in just one year our work has helped identify critical gaps in caregiver support, deliver direct support to families, and expand access to trusted resources, bringing us closer to ensuring that every patient has the opportunity to benefit from life-saving innovation.”

In its inaugural year, Kite provided critical financial support of American Cancer Society programs, and the initiative produced early results in CAR T caregiver support, research, and resource development. Key year-one achievements included:

• Direct Financial Support of Caregivers: The initiative supported a new CAR T Caregiver Financial Assistance Fund that provided grants in 16 states, helping families cover essential costs like transportation, food, and lodging. The fund will reopen for applications in year two to continue this vital support.
• Critical Insights: The American Cancer Society conducted a landmark national survey of treatment centers that identified a crucial gap in support for caregivers of CAR T patients and highlighted their financial, emotional, and logistical needs.
• Expanded Resources: Kite supported American Cancer Society initiatives to develop and distribute new, easy-to-use information that reached hundreds of thousands of people through the American Cancer Society nationwide network.

“Right now, only two out of 10 eligible patients receive CAR T-cell therapy, a gap we are committed to closing. Supporting the American Cancer Society allows critical support to go directly into the communities where patients live and work,” said Christophe Griolet, U.S. vice president, general manager, Kite. “By increasing awareness of established resources like Hope Lodges, the American Cancer Society, and supporters like Kite, can help more patients overcome practical barriers to accessing this potentially life-saving treatment.”

Learn more about how Kite’s support of the American Cancer Society is enabling caregivers to receive the support they deserve here.  

About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support.  We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

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SOURCE American Cancer Society