John F. Crowley to Keynote Emily Whitehead Foundation 2026 Believe Ball

The gala returns to the city where Emily Whitehead became the world’s first child successfully treated with CAR T-cell therapy. For the foundation, the event serves as a critical bridge between families battling cancer and rare diseases and the scientists and developers capable of scaling breakthrough cures. This year’s gathering is expected to host over 400 attendees, including healthcare providers and manufacturers.

Crowley’s involvement carries deep personal resonance. After his children were diagnosed with Pompe disease in 1998, he co-founded Novazyme Pharmaceuticals to pioneer treatments for the fatal disorder. His efforts to save his family were later chronicled in his memoir, Chasing Miracles, and adapted into the film Extraordinary Measures. Currently, Crowley leads the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), representing biotech firms across 35 countries.

Tom Whitehead, co-founder of the foundation, noted that Crowley’s trajectory reflects the organization's core mission: challenging the status quo to alter the course of medicine. Beyond the keynote address, the evening will feature the presentation of the Bill Ludwig Pioneer Award and the Thomas G. Whitehead Beacon of Hope Award. The program also includes the awarding of the Nicole Gularte Fight for Cures Grant, dedicated to funding ongoing research in advanced therapies.