Inspirational Stories

Hello everyone! My name is Bryana and in September 2022, at 23 years old, I was rushed to the hospital unable to breathe. I recently went on a trip to Las Vegas and had gotten sick while there, but never expected what was coming for me next. I was initially diagnosed with pneumonia but when I had a CAT scan done, the radiologist noticed an abnormal 5cm mass in my chest pushing on my bronchial tubes. My oxygen levels were low and my CBC came back abnormal, I had a severely low amount of WBC which brought up suspicion. After doctors noticed the visibly large lymph nodes in my neck, I was taken in for a biopsy including a biopsy of my bone marrow as well.

When the results came back, I was diagnosed with anaplastic large T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). I was then taken in for a PET scan, where a second 4cm mass was found in my pelvic region. The doctors quickly concluded that I was stage 4 and needed treatment immediately. Two days after my diagnosis, I was given my first dose of R-CHOP chemotherapy. The following morning, I was able to speak, eat, laugh, and smile again. I was amazed by how quickly I felt the effects of my chemo killing my cancer. I had a total of 7 treatments every 3 weeks. I cried a lot of tears, lost my hair, and spent most of my days bedridden.

I am happy to share that my treatment worked, and I have been in remission for 2 months (so far)! The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has been a huge support for me throughout my journey, even personally calling me to see if there were anything they could do to help! Blood cancer is scary and intimidating, but with today's technology and the advancement of cancer research, more and more people are getting into remission and on their way to being cured, including me!