Mary joined HealthTree in 2022 as a part of HealthTree's team to help expand into all blood cancers. She now works as HealthTree's Volunteer & Community Outreach Manager, helping to engage and involve community members in HealthTree's mission. When she isn't working, she loves being the fun aunt to her 13 nieces and nephews, attending concerts, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and traveling to explore new cities.

Dr. Ludovica Marando is a blood cancer specialist and researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She cares for patients with conditions that can lead to leukemia and studies why some people are at higher risk of developing these diseases. Her research focuses on understanding early warning signs in the blood—changes known as “clonal hematopoiesis”—that can sometimes turn into leukemia. By studying these changes in detail, Dr. Marando hopes to develop more effective methods for identifying individuals at risk and preventing blood cancers before they develop.