The Mission

Through exciting & unique musical events featuring the talents of brass musicians worldwide, CancerBlows raises both awareness and money to encourage research for cancers with a focus on blood cancers & multiple myeloma.

The music and the mission go on...

CancerBlows was intended as a singular moment-in-time but response has been so overwhelming that we’re continuing the fight with more exciting events including the ones featured below.





"If tomorrow was your final day on Earth, what would your Last Letter be?"

Award-winning military photojournalist and longtime CancerBlows supporter, Jeremy Lock, often wondered about the stories the subjects of his portraits could tell.

Now he's hosting Last Letters, a podcast asking "If tomorrow was your final day on Earth, what would your Last Letter be?". The podcast was, in part, inspired by Jeremy's friendship with CancerBlowss founder, Ryan Anthony. Jeremy and his wife, D'Andra Simmons, helped launch the first CancerBlows concert in 2015 and have been avid supporters of the cause ever since. In addition, Jeremy photographed the CancerBlows legends in 2015 and 2017 which led to a feature gallery in NorthPark. Jeremy took many of the iconic photos of Ryan that we know and love.

In this episode Jeremy talks with Ryan Anthony's widow and CancerBlows Executive Director, Niki Anthony. Niki shares her Last Letter and discusses family, her world-famous trumpeter husband and the uncertainty of "The Caregiver's House of Cards". To listen, click the link below.

https://lastletters.buzzsprout.com/





We are proud to announce that The International Trumpet Guild has renamed their annual ITG Conference Competition as "The Ryan Anthony Memorial Trumpet Competition".

Through the generosity of the Dobson Family of Corpus Christi, Texas, ITG is not only renaming the competition but also increasing its stature with a greatly expanded prize structure as well as travel support for the finalists.

Winners will also participate in a future CancerBlows event when possible.

The competition not only rewards musical excellence but, inspired by Ryan's spirit, promotes a healthy competitive environment, reminding participants to "be generous and kind to one another as we make each other better".

For full details on the competition, visit the ITG Competitions webpage. https://www.trumpetguild.org/events/competitions



SONG OF HOPE - World Band - Official Video



1400 Musicians from 35 Countries playing One Song with One Mission.

This June, Ryan Anthony sadly left us. Through his foundation and charity, CancerBlows, he championed music as the way to give people everywhere hope which is now the subject of an upcoming documentary feature film. His final ambitious project was to appeal to musicians everywhere, of every standard, to come together and form this incredible virtual ensemble, playing the stunningly beautiful "Song Of Hope". This was an anthem for Ryan and all he stood for. Now, this video, containing all performers aged 6 to 93 and Grammy-winning recording artists alongside those just beginning their musical journey, immortalize him and his mission to show Music=Hope.

To watch the video, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR4x7zA4DNMqwCVw7eKU5-g

To learn more about the feature documentary and see the teaser trailer, visit https://www.songforhopemovie.com/





It is with great sadness that we announce that Ryan Anthony, our beloved father, son, husband, brother and inspiration, passed away the morning of Tuesday, June 23rd, at the age of 51.

We are blessed that so many of you have traveled this long and difficult journey with us. Your prayers and support lifted all of us, but especially Ryan, and inspired him to continue to fight every day.

Please keep his family in your prayers. Ryan leaves behind two children, Elizabeth (Lili) and Rowan; his wife, Niki; mother Ruby Styler and step-father, Stan Styler; father, Roy Anthony and step-mother, Cathi Anthony; and his brother and sister-in-law, R.B. and Shannon Anthony, along with many other extended family, adopted family, dear friends and “brothers”.

CancerBlows and The Ryan Anthony Foundation will continue the music and the mission in his memory, working to bring light into the lives of patients, their families and the medical staff and ultimately find a cure for multiple myeloma and other blood cancers.

In lieu of flowers, Ryan asked that donations be made to CancerBlows and The Ryan Anthony Foundation.

“What we play is life” ~ Louis Armstrong

Donate here



photo credit to Jeremy T Lock



Support The Ryan Anthony Foundation through Amazon Smile

If you can’t find it in the CancerBlows online store, you can find it on Amazon (or you don’t need it!). Every time you shop on Amazon through Amazon Smile a portion of your purchase is donated back to The Ryan Anthony Foundation/CancerBlows.

Visit https://smile.amazon.com and select The Ryan Anthony Foundation as your charity and then all you have to do is shop online







Re:mission – Rubato Release!

The new solo album by Ryan Anthony is available now in the CancerBlows online store and through digital distribution.

Re:mission – Rubato is the first of three planned Re:mission recordings each one featuring different musical groups. While the title Remission may seem obvious as the goal for all cancer patients striving for remission and ultimately cure, it also urges us to renew our commitment to our personal mission whether it is making beautiful music or finding a cure for cancer.

Rubato’s literal Italian translation is “stolen”. In music, it refers to pushing and pulling the tempo, stealing time from one measure and giving it back to another in order to create a phrase. As Ryan’s only solo release in the Re:mission series, Rubato features a varied collection of works, most of which have been composed specifically for him. The recording includes Peter Meechan’s Renaissance of Wonder and Jim Stephenson’s Concerto for Hope. Each tells a portion of Ryan’s musical journey since diagnosis and his determination to “steal time” from cancer.

To order Re:mission - Rubato from the online store, please click the link below.

Get CancerBlows Merchandise in the Online Store!

Event Beneficiaries

All profits from 2017 CancerBlows: The Legends Return events benefit Baylor Health Care System Foundation and Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.