Medscape Oncology Lights the Night to Advance Blood Cancer Care

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — Recognizing that clinical excellence and patient experience are inseparable, Medscape Oncology served as the official Caregiver Central Sponsor in support of Blood Cancer United’s Mercer County Light The Night event on November 7th. The initiative underscored a critical imperative across hematology/oncology: to help improve outcomes, healthcare professional (HCP) education must directly reflect the lived realities of patients and their caregivers.

Closing the Gap Between Clinical Science and Lived Experience

For more than 30 years, Medscape Oncology has served as the leading educational resource for the hematology/oncology community. In complex and rapidly evolving hematologic malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, cutting-edge science only translates into meaningful outcomes when healthcare professionals understand the human context of the treatments they administer.

Integrating the patient and caregiver voice into accredited medical education is essential to:

• Strengthen Shared Decision-Making: Equipping oncologists and care teams with direct patient perspectives helps align complex therapeutic choices with individual lifestyle priorities, values, and care goals.
• Uncover Real-World Adherence: Caregivers are often the first to notice treatments or adherence challenges; educating healthcare professionals to actively solicit caregiver insights leads to earlier clinical interventions and improved outcomes.
• Bridge Communication Gaps Across the Care Continuum: Aligning continuous medical education with parallel patient and caregiver education fosters synchronized, empathetic dialogue at every clinic visit.

“Improving hematologic care takes more than medical knowledge alone. It takes true partnership, diverse viewpoints, and a consistent focus on patient needs,” said Douglas Kaufman, Senior Vice President, Medscape Education.  “When patient and caregiver experiences are woven into clinician education, we close gaps in communication, strengthen shared decision-making, and ensure that every patient is met with optimal clinical care and genuine compassion.”

Medscape Oncology’s independent, evidence-based education is designed to help ensure that advances in blood cancer research reach the clinicians who care for patients every day. This effort is underscored by its hematologic malignancy education, potentially impacting 2.7 million patient visits every month in the United States.* By pairing emerging science with the perspectives of people living with blood cancer, Medscape Oncology aims to support better-informed decisions within their clinical practice and by sharing information with its oncology learners, 95% of whom are based in community health settings, where most people with cancer receive their care.*

Co-Creating Accredited Education Where Science Meets Patient Reality

True patient centricity is realized when independent  education is co-created with the communities it serves. Medscape Oncology establishes and maintains strategic educational alliances with leading academic institutions, medical societies, and patient advocacy organizations like Blood Cancer United. These collaborations ensure curricula remain not only scientifically rigorous and clinically actionable, but also grounded in patient-reported outcomes and caregiver priorities.

Through its sponsorship of Caregiver Central and its decades-long partnership with Blood Cancer United, Medscape Oncology reinforces a dual commitment: surrounding healthcare professionals with actionable medical science while empowering patients and families with the knowledge needed to navigate life after diagnosis.

“As a survivor of stage IV diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, I am forever indebted to Blood Cancer United. They saved my life, quite literally, with the funds they used to support research which led to the FDA approval of my immunotherapy treatment. They have given me the opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ by giving me opportunities to participate in advocacy efforts… working to ensure blood cancer patients have more accessible and affordable treatment options. And at Light The Night they have given me a community where I feel understood, supported, and inspired.  It’s a powerful moment when thousands of people gather together and light their lanterns in honor of the loved ones they lost, the survivors they are honoring, and their commitment to creating a world without blood cancer, ” said Chiara Engstrom, Senior Campaign Development Specialist.

About Medscape Oncology

Medscape Oncology (Medscape Education)  is the leading destination for continuous professional development, with more than 30 specialty-focused destinations, such as Medscape Oncology, offering thousands of free continuing medical education and continuing education  courses and other educational programs for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Medscape Education is part of the WebMD Health Network.)

About Blood Cancer United & Light The Night

Blood Cancer United is dedicated to curing blood cancers and improving the quality of life for patients and their families through vital research funding, advocacy, and community support. Light The Night brings communities together across the nation to celebrate, honor, and remember those touched by cancer. Learn more at bloodcancerunited.org and lightthenight.org/events/mercer-county.

Sources:

Medscape Internal Data: Patient impact from US hematologic malignancies learners, Jan 2025-Dec 2025​.

Medscape Internal Data: US hematologic malignancies learners, Jan 2025-Dec 2025​