Warriors Ambassador Program

A global community of patients turning their experience into support, awareness, and action.

Built on action, connection, and shared purpose, Warrior Ambassadors are committed to supporting the Castleman disease community.

What It Means to Be a Warrior Ambassador

Being a Warrior ambassador is an active role. Our program is built on individuals who are committed to showing up, contributing, and helping move this work forward.

As part of the Ambassador Program, members are encouraged to:

Participate in monthly Ambassador Calls
Support and/or lead fundraising efforts
Help raise awareness within their communities
Advocate for patients and families
Collaborate on events and initiatives
Serve as a connector, bringing others into the community

This is a community built on action, connection, and shared purpose.

Meet Our Warrior Ambassadors

Our team of Warrior Ambassadors is made up of individuals within the Castleman disease community who volunteer with the CDCN to support and uplift others impacted by the disease. Warrior Ambassadors may connect with patients, and loved ones to offer encouragement, share their personal experiences, and help others feel less alone in their journey.

Lisa Carleno

Meet

"My case was complex - my lymph node biopsy was even sent to the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion...I believe I had been living with this disease for many years before it was finally identified."

Penny DeRemer

"Without [CDCN's] research, advocacy, and relentless pursuit of better treatments and a cure, many patients would continue to go undiagnosed, suffer unnecessarily, or lose their lives. "

Meet

Danielle King

Meet

"[My husband's] journey has been marked by multiple hospital stays... Through every setback, Danny continues to show incredible strength and resilience"

Connect with a Warrior Ambassador

Looking to talk to someone who has been through a similar Castleman disease journey? Email Madison at madison@cdcn.org to be connected with a Warrior Ambassador who has had to face many of the same challenges that you are facing..

Ready to get involved?

Directory of Warrior Ambassadors

Each Warrior Ambassador serves as compassionate listeners, trusted peers, and community advocates, helping raise awareness, amplify patient voices, and connect individuals with helpful information and CDCN resources when appropriate.

Amanda Harman Patient Oligocentric Maryland, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Grief and loss OligoCD aka not fitting in the UCD/iMCD guidelines Diagnosis when you are not sick enough to "need" treatment but also not well	Brian Mabus Parent of a patient Idiopathic Multicentric Illinois, US	Danielle King Spouse of Patient POEMS-associated MCD Pennsylvania, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Marital relationships	Frances Roof Patient Idiopathic Multicentric CD Maryland, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Grief and loss Parenting Marital relationships
Gary Gravina Patient Idiopathic Multicentric CD New Jersey, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Grief and loss Working or going to school during or after treatment Marital relationships	Laura Mayben Patient Idiopathic Multicentric CD South Carolina, US	Lisa Carleno Patient Idiopathic Multicentric CD Virginia, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Grief and loss Working or going to school during or after treatment Marital relationships	Lisa Snyder Patient Idiopathic Multicentric CD New York, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Grief and loss Working or going to school during or after treatment Marital relationships Parenting
Megan Bowers Avina Patient Oligocentric	Megan Harakal Loved One of a lost Patient Idiopathic Multicentric Pennsylvania, US	Mileva Repasky Parent of a patient Idiopathic Multicentric Pennsylvania, US	Patrick Bowen Patient Idiopathic Multicentric California, US
Penny Deremer Patient Oligocentric Pennsylvania, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Grief and loss Working or going to school during or after treatment Marital relationships	Shannon Baker Patient Idiopathic Multicentric Michigan, US	Stacey Gravina Spouse of Patient Idiopathic Multicentric New Jersey, US	Victoria Humphries Patient Idiopathic Multicentric Texas, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Support while making treatment decisions What to expect during treatment Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends Grief and loss Working or going to school during or after treatment
Yankee McKinnon Patient Oligocentric Alabama, US Talk to me about... Talk to me about... Dealing with treatment side effects and quality of life challenges Relationships with family and friends What to expect during treatment