Cindy Mays is the director of corporate development for Know the Glow. Her background is in infection disease and microbiology, and has spent the past 30 years working in research, and marketing for one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.
Cindy is married and the mother of two. In 2004, the lives of Cindy and her family changed completely when her daughter Gayle-Sullivan was diagnosed with Unilateral Retinoblastoma at 4 months old. Cindy noticed strabismus (lazy eye) and pushed for a red reflex exam from her pediatrician. Cindy reflects on how fortunate her daughter was to be near one of the key centers for pediatric ocular oncology, “I was at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles within 4 hours, consulting with the head of the Retinoblastoma team A. Linn Murphree MD”.
Sullivan underwent systemic chemotherapy and several exams under anesthesia at Children’s hospital Los Angeles. Cindy learned about Know the Glow from one of her colleagues from the pharmaceutical industry. She knew she had to get involved, “I am very passionate about raising awareness about the glow”. Her efforts are to partner with companies to improve early detection of glow related diseases and hopefully develop better treatments especially ocular cancer. Cindy and her husband Jeff, who works as a program manager in the energy sector, are currently living in Los Angeles.