Search Results
William
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) holds a special place in my heart. I lost my mother to therapy associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in July 2021. AML is a type of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood. It can be very aggressive and progress rapidly without treatment. There are still certain forms of AML that do not have effective treatments, like the one my mother had. LLS was a resource I knew about from my work in solid tumor cancer research. It helped provide me with patient and caregiver resources that I needed at an extremely difficult time in my life.

Steven
I’m Steven, a 23-year-old who is no stranger to hard work and resilience. I juggle two jobs and live independently, but six months ago, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In a heartbeat, I was thrown into a world of uncertainty, doctors’ appointments, and intensive treatments. I had to face radiation therapy, surgeries, and the challenge of missing work ― all while trying to keep life moving forward.

Matthew
In the summer of 2020, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) after finding a lump in my chest. I had just finished track and field in my sophomore year of high school and thought that the lump in my chest was a popped rib or something with an easy fix. It wasn't.

Natasha & Cindy
My first day of treatment was on July 18, 2018 at UCLA Medical. That's where I met Natasha. I was a bit nervous going in not knowing what to expect so the nurses connected both of us. That same day Natasha found out she was in remission and I couldn't be happier for her. We both were diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, going through the same treatment, and had the same doctor.

Charmane
I was diagnosed last November with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I had two tumors. One on my heart muscle and one near my lung. I went through treatments at UVM Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont and just finished chemotherapy this month.
Asha
Hi! My name is Asha. I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin’s lymphoma when I was 18 years old in December 2018 during my freshman year of college. I noticed a bump on my neck that I thought may have been an insect bite until another one appeared next to the first one. When I saw that the bumps were connecting to each other that is when I told my parents.

Matthew
In 2014, I was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, one of the most aggressive of all blood cancers and without quick action I would have had only 90 days to live. That was three years ago.
Katie
I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) on August 1, 2024, just a few weeks after getting engaged during my 31st birthday trip.
Things moved with urgency, and I’m now beginning my second round of treatment this Thursday. My hair is just starting to shed out, so I’m planning to shave it this week. I have six months of chemo to go. I’m praying that my upcoming PET scan looks great so that can stay with the plan.

Mara
I was in my second to last year of nursing school and just over one year into my marriage when the headaches became too much to bear. I was 21. I was tired all of the time, but I was working in a busy ER and going to class when I wasn't at work. I had lost some weight, but I had been exercising more and getting a lot while working in the ER. I had a cough, but they tell you that you'll be sick a lot when you're in nursing school. Unfortunately, I happened to touch my neck one day while studying with classmates for a big exam. There was a lump there that I had never felt before.
Work, School & Finances
Work and SchoolSome people continue to work or attend school through cancer treatment, but others are not able to do so. Talk to your healthcare team to know what to expect from treatment so you can make the decision that is best for you.
Hospice
Hospice embodies a philosophy that delivers compassionate care to people, including children, who are approaching the end of their lives and provides emotional and physical support to them and their loved ones. Hospice offers medical care that focuses on maintaining and improving quality of life for someone whose disease or condition is unlikely to be cured. An interdisciplinary hospice team provides medical care, pain control and emotional and spiritual support that is tailored to the individual needs of each patient and his or her family.
Treatment Outcomes
The cure rates and survival outcomes for patients with ALL have improved over the past few decades. Today, nearly 90 percent of adults diagnosed with ALL achieve a complete remission, which means that leukemia cells can no longer be seen in the bone marrow with a microscope. Still, despite high remission rates, relapses still commonly occur in adults and survival rates for adult patients remain at approximately 20 to 40 percent. However, these rates can vary significantly, depending on the patient’s ALL subtype and other prognostic factors.
Splenectomy
A splenectomy is the procedure done to remove the spleen. Before effective drugs became available for hairy cell leukemia, splenectomy was the first-line treatment for the disease.
Making Treatment Decisions
Adults living with blood cancer must make decisions about treatment, family, work or school and finances. If your child has been diagnosed, you must make similar decisions for your son or daughter.
Gathering Information and SupportYou'll need to choose:
Chemotherapy and Drug Therapy
Chemotherapy is generally used only in patients with blast-phase CML as a way to get the CML back into chronic phase. Very high-dose chemotherapy is used to prepares patients for an allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

James
I was diagnosed with stage 3 follicular lymphoma (FL), a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), at the end of 2017, and our world was turned upside down. I lived a pretty healthy lifestyle, stayed active, and ate well. I never thought I would be diagnosed with cancer until I received the phone call from my hematologist/oncologist late on a Friday night. My body went numb as I listened to the diagnosis and the aggressive treatment plan around the corner.

Ariana
My daughter Ariana is a cancer survivor of stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). When she was 13, she was diagnosed. After all the hospital and doctor visits, they finally found the tumors inside her body.

Bethany
I was 28, married for two years, and my husband and I had just celebrated our one year anniversary at my business, Gigi’s Cupcakes. But on March 30, 2012, that all changed.
Christa
I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at three years old. I experienced two and a half years of chemotherapy, lumbar punctures, blood transfusions, hair loss, and surgery. Since then, I have not wasted a single day. I live each day to the fullest, remembering a time when my future was unsure. I want to make the most of my second chance by striving to achieve what may seem like a challenge. My goal is to become a psychologist and specialize in the behavioral and cognitive development of children. I want to continue to be a part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Lauren
"I am a chronic leukemia-fighting mother of 4 boys and wife. In 2009, I was diagnosed with Essential thrombocythemia (ET). The diagnosis came after having multiple cerebellar strokes caused by a certebral artery dissection and a platelet count of 1.5 million, which is more than 3 times the normal limit. I immediately was told that I would start oral chemo called Hydrea which I would remain on indefinitely or until a cure was found.

Ethan
When I was just under two years old, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). My brother was born just a few days later, and it became an extremely difficult time for my family. Because I was so young, I do not remember most of my treatments that lasted until I was almost five years old. The closest place for treatment was Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, which was a three-hour drive away. Weekend trips to KC became normal, which meant lots of gas money and fast food.

Brian
Brian Shaw (a.k.a. “Little Man”) is an energetic, happy, intelligent and compassionate six-year-old boy. For nearly a year, starting when he was four, several of those characteristics seemed submerged beneath the side effects of daily chemotherapy that followed his diagnosis with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Though his treatments continue (3-1/2 years in total), the side effects have alleviated somewhat and Brian is getting back to his normal self, attending school, etc.
Doug
Four years ago, 53-year-old Doug was getting ready to walk in his son's wedding, but he had been recently diagnosed with gastric lymphoma and was worried about his future.
While undergoing chemotherapy, Doug ate a lot of unhealthy foods and gained a lot of weight. While in treatment, he decided he needed to take control of his health and began to make some healthy lifestyle changes not only to fight cancer, but tackle his obesity and smoking habit as well.

Sabrina
May of 2017, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma following my 19th birthday. The news of cancer shook my reality as I’d just began establishing my life. I was forced to give up my independence and lean on my community.
After six months of treatment I showed no evidence of disease. On a follow-up post treatment there was spots present of growth and I had a few more rounds of chemo added. Almost a year had gone without signs of cancer, but symptoms were appearing.