Adam Marc Hayden, an affiliate member of AACR and patient advocate who lived with a terminal glioblastoma diagnosis for nine years, died December 20, 2025. He was 43 years of age.
Hayden joined the AACR in 2021, when he participated in the AACR Scientist↔Survivor Program (SSP) at the AACR Annual Meeting 2021. He continued to engage with the program, preparing a video greeting for SSP participants at the 2025 Annual Meeting.
“Adam was a gift to the world of cancer survivors, their families, and everyone he met,” said Anna D. Barker, PhD, co-founder of the AACR Scientist↔Survivor Program. “He chronicled what it was like to live with a horrific disease like GBM with grace, humor, and wisdom that inspired us all! Adam was a ‘star’ and leader in our AACR SSP program, and although we will miss him terribly, he leaves an enduring legacy of hope for every cancer patient and their families.”
Born April 22, 1982, in Greencastle, Indiana, Hayden received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Indiana University Bloomington and a master’s degree in philosophy from IU Indianapolis. He worked as a senior communications specialist for a training and development company.
Hayden was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2016. His tumor was later classified as a type of astrocytoma that is associated with longer survival, and he lived with the disease for nine years.
He served on the board of the National Brain Tumor Society and was co-founder and leader of an online support group. He also authored a blog about his experiences with brain cancer.
In 2022, Hayden received the Jan Esenwein Public Service Award from the Society for Neuro-Oncology. In 2023, he gave an invited lecture on survivorship to the Neuro-Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research.
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