Washington’s most meaningful black-tie evening returns this spring with a singular purpose: curing blood cancer.
A Movement That Started in 1949 Comes Home to DC
The 39th annual Leukemia Ball arrives Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, hosted by Blood Cancer United, the global nonprofit formerly known as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since its founding, the organization has invested more than $2 billion in groundbreaking research, and the Ball alone has raised over $78 million across three decades. This year, the fundraising goal stands at $2.5 million, and every dollar drives therapies that turn diagnoses into survival stories.
An Evening of Purpose and Glamour
Guests should expect a mission program that moves the room, paired with cocktails, a plated dinner, silent and live auctions, and headlining entertainment. Today, the ball remains DC’s premier philanthropic gathering, drawing executives, advocates, and patient families into one ballroom for one cause. Furthermore, BDO USA returns as 2026 Presenting Partner, anchoring a sponsor roster that has long defined corporate giving in the capital region!
Wayne Berson Receives the Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award
This year’s James L. Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Wayne Berson, Chief Executive Officer of BDO USA. Berson has led BDO since 2012 and forged its Blood Cancer United partnership that same year, channeling more than $1.3 million through corporate and family giving. His commitment is deeply personal. His younger brother Philip was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age seven in 1972, when survival odds sat at just five percent. Fortunately, that survivor rate has climbed to 74 percent—a transformation made possible by the research the Ball funds!
Support, Sponsor, and Show Up
Tables, tickets, and sponsorships are available now through the official Leukemia Ball site. As always, the Washington Lobbyist proudly elevates the causes shaping our city—please join us in standing with Blood Cancer United this May.
Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center — 801 Mt Vernon Pl NW, Washington, DC 20001 | (202) 249-3000 Ticket Packages: Supporter $1,000 | Patron $5,000 | Advocate $10,000 | Champion $15,000.
