Search Results

Jill

My world changed forever in April 2021. Life was going so well . . . I was 35 years old, my kids Henry (9), Olivia (7), and Ruby (5) were getting excited about summer break (and all the trips we had planned), my insurance business was in full swing, and all my plants and flowers were in bloom. I was doing what I loved most, working in the yard, when I noticed my right pinky finger was going numb, and I began having trouble walking. We immediately went to the ER. The doctors initially thought it was a stroke, but luckily a fantastic neurosurgeon was on call and saw the MRI.

Yaneiry

Certain things come into your life to show you how strong you are. Life is so fragile, and we don’t know if we will be here on this earth in the future. This process shows me that the most important thing in life is having health and making beautiful memories with loved ones. 

Barry

I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in May of 2003.  The diagnosis came after three or four months of tests attempting to diagnose a lump from my neck (which was ultimately removed).  My wife and I were told that I had a disease that was considered treatable but not curable.  My particular sub-type, follicular, has a tendency to reoccur.  I was referred to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  The staging test results showed I had a very small amount of the disease on the whole, but it was present in my bone marrow, which is considered Stage IV, or

Sue

It’s 2015 and I am doing my happy dance! It’s been 20 years since my bone marrow transplant for my chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and I am still here enjoying what life brings my way.

Russell

In the tapestry of life, there are moments that test the strength of the human spirit, moments that challenge our resolve and redefine our sense of purpose. For Russell, a Filipino-American music artist and entrepreneur, such a moment arrived six months after marrying the love of his life ― a moment that would alter the course of his life forever.

Madison

On April 23, 2020, at the age of 15, my whole world changed. I got the call that I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) while getting ready for a birthday party. Throughout quarantine, I had to undergo four cycles of chemotherapy and 14 days of radiation consisting of countless days in and out of the hospital. I had allergic reactions to a few of my chemotherapies which caused me to stop breathing, and they happened at least once every cycle which was scary. My hair eventually started falling out in clumps, and the day I had to cut it off was probably when I cried the most.

Daron

My cancer journey started back in 2021 during COVID. I worked in EMS as a paramedic. I started noticing that I was losing weight, coughing up blood, hurting continuously, losing my vision, and sleeping 16 hours a day or more while working in the medical field. I knew I was in grave danger. After several months of enduring the symptoms, I went to my primary doctor and was turned away due to them thinking it was TB. I reached out to my employer and was able to be seen by the health department. They ordered an X-ray that showed a very large mass in my chest.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is sometimes used to treat a person with CLL who has an enlarged (swollen) lymph node, spleen, or other organ that is blocking the function of a neighboring body part, such as the kidney or the throat. 

Debra

I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1995, just several months after my husband was required to go on dialysis for polycystic kidneys. We had three very young children then and my only chance of survival was to have an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, which at the time was considered experimental. I left my home and children for three months, which was so difficult, and went to Pittsburgh for my transplant.

George

My awareness of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) began years ago when a close family member was diagnosed with leukemia. In the wake of such devastating news, I felt compelled to lend a hand.  I am honored to join the LLS family in their fight to cure blood cancers.

Nanci

I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in January 2009. My doctor said the average life span was three years if not for the newer drug called Gleevec, a drug that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) had been involved in the research of it. I started on Gleevec in February, but after a week I was taken off it to bring my immune system back up. Back on Gleevec, I reached remission in July 2009. I now have been in remission for 12½ years. I now take the generic brand due to the cost.

Izabella

When I was twelve years old, I was diagnosed with a very rare type of leukemia found in children. I was life-flighted, had various treatments and procedures, and even had four blood transfusions. As incredibly shocking and terrifying as it all was, I pulled through in only a week of treatment. My type of leukemia is called chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). This leukemia is something that will be a part of me forever. Even still, I take a daily oral chemotherapy pill. Despite all of this, I maintain my path in life and will not let anything stop me.

Jeanne

After initial chemo and radiation for stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), I went into remission for 10 months. I had more chemo but couldn't tolerate it. CAR T-cell therapy seemed to be my best option. I received Yescarta® in March 2022. I was in the hospital for three weeks. I had some side effects, but they were treated immediately and resolved. I have been in remission for 19 months. I have had some residual effects ― low white blood cells which are slowly increasing, low hemoglobin which has finally come up to normal, and low immunoglobulin.

Kaidyn

Kaidyn was only six months old when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). About two months later, he received a bone marrow aspiration and was started on chemotherapy. Over the next ten months, Kaidyn was in and out of Children's Hospital of Oakland. It was there that he took his first steps, said his first words, and even flirted with every nurse in the oncology unit! Kaidyn is now a healthy three-year-old boy with an ear-to-ear grin who participates in his local Light The Night Walk each fall.

Reid

We just wanted to reach out and say how much The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has helped us. From attending Light The Night (LNT), to getting a blanket in the mail, to receiving funds when I couldn't work to keep Reid safe from the pandemic. Anytime I have needed assistance or reached out, the staff I have chatted with are so amazing and make you feel like you're so included and important. You have made us feel loved and gave us hope and inspiration. Reid was diagnosed at 2 years old, and he is almost done with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-cell ALL) treatment.

Jeff

A little over two years ago, I was diagnosed as having chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). I was shocked and devastated by the news and immediately began seeing an oncologist. My team from the cancer center has been uplifting, positive, and supportive from the very beginning! They have been successfully treating my cancer and have taught me not to fear my disease.

Tony

I was diagnosed in 2016 with multiple myeloma (MM) and was able to get a bone marrow transplant in 2017. After I recovered, I was cancer-free for five years. Then two years ago, my cancer came back, and I am now going through with two types of therapies to keep things at bay and doing well. Besides the ups and downs of working full-time and cancer coming back, my oncologist who saw me through retired last December, and I got a new one. However I was not happy and started seeing one of his associates and really liked her, but she is now leaving the practice in two weeks.

Story

Story was diagnosed with biphenotypic leukemia (BAL) in July 2010. She was four years old at the time. She was treated with two rounds of “high-risk protocol” chemo. She was in complete remission after 60 days. However, because of her particular diagnosis, we were advised that she needed a bone marrow transplant to have the best chance of long-term remission. Her older sister, Lyric, who was just six at the time, was a perfect match. 

Fertility

“Fertility” describes the ability to conceive a biological child. Human reproduction requires three elements: mature sperm, mature eggs and a person with a uterus to carry the pregnancy and give birth. Some cancers and some cancer treatments affect fertility.

Follow-Up Care

Find more information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources, such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.

Relapsed and Refractory

Some patients' cancer returns after a successful course of treatment. This is called a relapse.

Some patients' cancer does not respond to treatment. This is called refractory chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).

If you have relapsed or refractory CMML, talk with your doctor about whether taking part in a clinical trial may be a good option for you.

Martin

I have a unique story. In 1978 after being married for three weeks, my wife was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Seven months later she passed away.

Katie

In October 2021, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). This journey of over 100 appointments has not been easy and something I never would have imagined I would walk through at the age of 26. I know God didn’t put me through this without a purpose. God has given me so much strength and confidence through this journey. I want to use it to encourage people in my life going through trials and hardships to see the light at the end of the tunnel and have confidence they will make it through it.

Marko

I am 18 years old and from a small town in New Jersey. I was diagnosed with stage 4 anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). I have spent my whole senior year of high school in the hospital not being able to be home for eight months and missing out on my whole senior year. Music has saved me while going through treatment, whether I would record my own music in my hospital bed or even listen to music to numb the pain I was in. If it wasn't for music, I’m not sure if I would be able to last going through treatments.

Sophia

When I was in middle school, my dad was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). During this time, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society deeply supported our family. Sadly, my dad passed in 2021, but my loved ones and I continue to honor his spirit by making the most out of our lives. I became a volunteer because I strive for a future where cancer has a cure. All donations are deeply appreciated and will go to cancer research!