Search Results

Coy

My son, Coy, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) on May 5, 2023. He was a junior at the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) and had just won national runner-up in the NCAA Division III national wrestling tournament in March. He was a 4.0 student and had just been selected as Regimental Commander for the fall of his senior year. He returned home to secure and begin treatment. It was a challenge getting him into treatment, however, with great persistence, he was able to secure treatment with Dr. Allison Rosenthal at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

Luigi

Luigi was diagnosed with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) during his junior year of high school, at the age of 16. During that time, Luigi was preparing for college applications and getting ready to play in his varsity basketball and varsity volleyball season. But all of that came to a halt with his diagnosis. While undergoing multiple rounds of dose-adjusted chemotherapy, Luigi continued to push himself and decided to get home schooling. He also continued to support his basketball team in the sidelines as much as he could.

Casey

It was in May, 2014 that 24-year-old Casey Moore began experiencing her first symptoms of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). For a week straight, Casey had been vomiting every day and was losing a significant amount of weight. This was unusual, as prior to her symptoms, she considered herself a happy, healthy woman focused on her relationship and career. At the time, she was living with her boyfriend and working full time in a chiropractic office -- with no apparent signs of an illness.

Jania

In November 2018, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It's a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that progresses very rapidly. When I was initially diagnosed, I believed my life was over. As a seventeen-year-old high school student attending school from a homeless shelter, going to bed hungry most nights, I considered dropping out to help my mother with my younger sister and brother. I couldn't fathom the financial burdens that would follow with medical treatment. I felt like the more I attempted to correct things, the worse they became.

Ph-Positive ALL Therapy

In addition to chemotherapy combinations, children with Philadelphia chromosomepositive (Ph+) ALL and Philadelphia chromosome-like (Ph-like) ALL are also given a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) medication.

Tyrosine kinases are enzymes that are a part of many cell functions including cell signaling, growth and division. These enzymes may become too active in patients with an ALL subtype called Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL (Ph+ ALL).

Signs and Symptoms

People who have chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) may not have any symptoms at first. Often, patients learn they have CML after a routine physical exam or a blood test. CML signs and symptoms tend to develop gradually. Those with symptoms often report experiencing: 

Signs and Symptoms

Some patients initially have no symptoms of MDS, and abnormal results from routine blood tests may be the earliest signs of the disease. For patients with symptoms, it is common not to feel well because of the lack of normal, healthy blood cells.

Anemia is a decrease in the number of healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. Anemia may cause symptoms such as:

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms vary from patient to patient and depend on the type of CMML. Click here to learn more about subtypes of CMML. 

Those with a myelodysplastic subtype (MD-CMML) tend to present with low blood cell counts. Signs and symptoms may include:

Treatment Outcomes

Parents of JMML patients are advised to discuss survival information with their child’s hematologist-oncologist. Keep in mind that outcome data can show how other children with JMML responded to treatment, but it cannot predict how any one child will respond.

Watch-and-Wait

Some people with MDS who do not have very low blood cell counts or other symptoms may not need to start treatment immediately. Some people can manage their MDS with their doctors for years or even decades using a watch-and-wait (observation) approach. By using the watch-and-wait method, your MDS specialist can monitor your condition with regular physical exams and blood tests. The watch-and-wait approach lets you avoid therapy's side effects until you need treatment. Treating MDS during this early stage has not proved helpful. 

Leo

Five-year-old Leo was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in June 2019. His parents had noticed bruising on his legs, petechiae around his eyes, fatigue, and shortness of breath, but because the symptoms didn’t present all at once, they didn’t think it was anything serious. Thankfully, on a Friday afternoon, Leo was due for a check-up where the nurse noticed the bruising on his legs and ordered a blood test.

Vonshel

Hi, my name is Von, and back in 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I didn't want to die, but prayer and God sent me right to the perfect doctor: Dr. Moran from Brunswick, GA. I got through chemotherapy and radiation with a breeze, and I'm now in remission for 13 years.

Jordana

Jordana was busy being a mom, wife, and radio host when she began experiencing fatigue, hot flashes, and bruising in the fall of 2020.

“I've been feeling crappy for a few months, very fatigued. About two weeks ago I noticed some large bruising on my legs but didn't remember bumping myself,” Jordana wrote in her first journal entry on CaringBridge. “I went for some bloodwork. Tuesday night my doctor called and said I need to go to the ER as my platelets were low. They admitted me, did a bone marrow biopsy, and 12 hours later told me I had leukemia.”

Jay

Nana’s Heroes was started to honor Lois “Nana” Bowen. Jay, Nana’s grandson, was 13 when he found out she was sick. Around ninth grade, he wanted to do something about it. Although he couldn’t fix her all up or make her all better, he could help raise money to help find a cure for the awful disease that she had.

Jack

Jack is a particularly big fan of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  His is an active Patient Advocate managing a local support group for patients and caregivers interested in his rare blood cancer, he participates in LLS' First Connection program, has helped with LLS' Team in Training and Light the Night recruiting efforts.  He received LLS' appreciation award "For Outstanding Commitment and Support of Advocacy and Patient Quality of Life" in June 2104.

Patty

On January 19, 2012, I lost the love of my life to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We were together for 21 years and this was not how our love story was supposed to end. Too young, too soon… still so much to do, to see, to experience – How do you go on? How do you continue life without the other half of you? How do you stop crying in the shower, before the water runs cold? How do you get dressed, put on a smile and face the world – alone? How do you believe again, when everything you believed in is gone?

Diana

It’s only cancer. As blasé as that may sound, I work for the Alzheimer’s Association as Walk Manager of the million-dollar Cincinnati Tri-State Walk to End Alzheimer's. Alzheimer’s disease has no effective treatment. No prevention. No cure. It’s always fatal. So, when the doctor came into the emergency room at 3:30 a.m.

Lisa

On February 3, 2020, my life changed forever. My husband and I welcomed our first child, a baby girl named Quinn. But, three weeks after she was born, I started to not feel the best.

On Friday, March 13, 2020, the day of the COVID-19 shutdown, my life changed forever again. After two weeks of having fevers and night sweats and being tested for everything but cancer, I went in for scans. Two hours after I had my scans, I got the call that nobody wanted to hear. I had cancer.

Sonia

I am a two-time cancer survivor, first diagnosed in 2004. Fortunately, I received treatment at Rush University Medical Center, a teaching hospital closely affiliated with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). During my initial treatment, I underwent CHOP chemotherapy alongside the groundbreaking drug Rituxan® discovered through LLS research. My doctor explained how Rituxan® would ensure my survival, sparking my curiosity, and leading to a meeting with a representative from LLS. The gratitude I felt during that encounter was overwhelming.

Ryan

At 22 years old, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). My first hospitalization was a month long which was followed by four more hospital stays for my chemotherapy treatments. In between each of those hospitalizations were home nursing visits, blood transfusions, doctor’s appointments, and even more hospitalizations to treat potentially life-threatening infections. I lost a total of 40 pounds throughout those months. Despite the many struggles I encountered during those months, I was able to successfully complete my treatments.

Kailash

On April 20, my 79-year-old father was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after a routine blood test. A scientist, he explored all of his options thoroughly. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was instrumental in providing us with accurate, up-to-date information about AML. He has chosen to prioritize his quality of life. Instead of chemo, he is spending his final chapter with friends, family, and favorite activities.

Christopher

Chris was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in January 2022. He underwent several rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant (his sister was a perfect match!) to put him in remission in May 2022. During the course of his remission, we bought a house, got married, and planned a wedding until he relapsed one year to the date of his initial diagnosis.

Relapsed and Refractory

Relapsed CLL is the term for disease that returns after it has been in remission for more than six months. 

Refractory disease is the term for CLL that does not result in remission after initial therapy. 

Signs and Symptoms

MF usually develops slowly. MF often does not cause early symptoms and may be found during a routine blood test. When fibrosis develops in the bone marrow, the bone marrow is unable to produce enough normal blood cells. The lack of blood cells causes many of the signs and symptoms of MF. These include:

Signs and Symptoms

Polycythemia vera (PV) develops slowly, and it may not cause symptoms for many years. The condition is often diagnosed during a routine blood test before severe symptoms occur. 

Symptoms may include: