Victoria Leigh Nefflen, 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, passed away peacefully on May 28th, 2026, after an incredibly courageous six-year battle with Myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer. Victoria touched the lives of those around her with her strength, resilience, and an unwavering spirit. Despite facing the challenges of her illness, she remained a beacon of hope, inspiring everyone who knew her.
Victoria was born on May 30, 1998, in Portsmouth, Virgina, to Katie and Joseph Nefflen. She grew up in Greenville, South Carolina before moving with her family to Westminster Maryland in 2006. She graduated from Westminster High School in 2016, going on to earn a degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2020. She had just started her first "real job" as a team leader with AmeriCorps in Iowa when she received her cancer diagnosis.
After a successful bone marrow transplant from her sister, Jessica Nefflen, she was declared cancer free in the fall of 2021 and immediately returned to making a difference. She began working for So What Else in Baltimore, Maryland focused on food recovery and re-distribution to the neediest neighborhoods throughout the city. She left there to accept a position with World Resources Institute as a Communications Specialist in 2024. In November of 2024, Victoria found out that her cancer had returned and her battle unfortunately resumed. She continued to work and live her life to the fullest, traveling as much as possible, and later marrying her soulmate Callan on August 1, 2025, in a surprise courthouse elopement, never letting anything stop her along the way.
Victoria has made and will continue to make an impact on so many people’s lives. Her kindness and passion for justice were evident at an early age, and it became her mission to make the world a better place. She served for several years on the patient advisory council at Johns Hopkins, advocating for the care of young adults throughout the hospital system. She was a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ and disability communities, using her voice to fight for equity and inclusion. She wrote dozens of articles online, advocating for social change and was also active in numerous social justice organizations as well as the Be the Match Bone Marrow Registry.
Victoria is survived by her spouse Callan Nefflen; her mother Katie Nefflen; her father Joseph Nefflen and his wife Kathy; her sisters, Jessica Nefflen and Julianna Nefflen; her grandparents, Larry and Patty Jones; her cat, Banksy; and her dog Jupiter Moon.
This account is being set up to help with final medical costs and funeral expenses. Any additional funds will be donated to the charities that Victoria advocated so hard for.