Christy Bala

Christy Bala has been a member of the communications field since 1999. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Christy began studying communications in the 1990s at Temple University with a focus on journalism, public relations, and advertising. Joining the workforce early in a non-profit, when her internship turned into a full-time position, Christy took on the Director of Public Relations position for a national non-profit serving children with disabilities. After working for several years in the nonprofit role, Christy longed for a role where she could make a bigger difference in the lives of patients. She turned her focus to the healthcare sector. At this time, she also married and took on the role as a new mother. While being mentored by some of the finest healthcare professionals, Christy found her passion in oncology when her daughter was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Learning to navigate this new role as caretaker and being forced to learn the ins and outs of the oncology world, she decided to pursue it as a career, specifically through the tumor registry. In Tumor Registry, Christy researched and abstracted data, painting each patient’s cancer journey to help scientists develop clinical trials and identifying patterns of concern that led to cancer diagnoses. As her daughter lost her cancer battle and as she interacted with more patients, she felt compelled to focus on end-of-life care and is pursuing certification as a Death Doula. With her healthcare experience and compassionate demeanor, along with her understanding of the oncology process, she found her calling.

Christy will be finishing her undergraduate degree at Rowan University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2026, and will be starting her master’s in policy. Christy was invited to join Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communications Honor Society, chosen to participate in the Kopenhaver Center Leadership Bootcamp. She is a member of INELDA (International End of Life Doula Association), NEDA (National End of Life Doula Alliance), and the National Communication Association. She volunteers locally with the South Jersey Cancer Support Community, the Ronald McDonald House, and Angels Community Outreach. Christy’s goals, once her studies are completed, are to continue working as a Death Doula, while she continues to push for the passing of legislation for Death with Dignity laws to be passed in every state.