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Where Blood Cancer Meets Nature: Why This Scholarship Recipient Is Saving the Earth

When we think about the future, a lot can feel uncertain—especially as a teenager or young adult (AYA) with blood cancer.  

We get it.  

Scholarships - Education

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Moving Forward: 4 Young Blood Cancer Survivors Look Ahead

Blood cancer survivors have a unique path ahead of them—and that can feel challenging.  

Questions come up: Does treatment mean I have to pause everything? Do I tell my friends or coworkers (and how)? With my medical bills, how can I afford the education I want?  

LLS Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) knows how challenging it can be to plan for your future during or after cancer treatment. Hospital stays and interruptions in school may mean pausing your goals. And the high cost of cancer care can make affording higher education difficult.

Helping Survivors Lead Longer Better Lives

Late last year I had the privilege of attending a special screening of the documentary American Symphony. The film chronicles the experiences of writer Suleika Jaouad and her husband musician Jon Batiste after learning that her acute myeloid leukemia (AML) had returned after years of remission. The movie shows how the couple navigates uncertainty, treatment, and their new normal afterwards. 

A Farewell Message from LLS's Past President & CEO Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D.

Dear Friends, 

Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week: Free Support & Financial Resources from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for Blood Cancer Patients, Survivors, Families & Caregivers

** The following article highlights free resources and programs that might be of particular interest to the young adult community; these are also available to all blood cancer patients, including the families and caregivers of adolescents with a blood cancer. We encourage parents/guardians of minors (up to age 18) to request a free copy of the “Caring for Kids And Adolescents With Blood Cancer” workbook by calling 800-955-4572 and to learn more below about ways LLS can help. 

Mackenzie

I am a recipient of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) 2022-2023 Dreamers and Doers Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors.

I was initially diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 4, and after a successful two years of treatment, I went into remission. Unfortunately, at age 8, I relapsed. I am now 19 years old and a sophomore at McDaniel College. I am majoring in biology. I’m also a part of the honors program, and I play NCAA Division III Tennis.

“People Just Didn’t Get It”: Treating Young Adults with Cancer

Think of spring break: warm sunny skies, a refreshing drink, and hopefully, a feeling of freedom.  

Andrew

My son, Andrew, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in January 2022. He had been very tired for months, and we had a frustrating few months while our primary care physician (PCP) missed his diagnosis and chalked it up to being a busy teen and perhaps needing a sleep study. When he was finally diagnosed, he was stage 4. He underwent six months of intense chemotherapy. Mid-treatment scans showed a complete response, and we were excited and relieved. His post-treatment PET scan, however, showed recurrence.

Anna

I was a recipient of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors this year. I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on December 23, 2014. I received over 80 doses of chemotherapy, 40 blood product transfusions, and had six infections. One of these infections landed me in the pediatric intensive care unit for seven days with acute respiratory failure and sepsis. I spent 133 days in-patient at the hospital. In May 2015, I left the hospital for good and am celebrating seven years in remission.

Nikolette

I was truly honored to be a recipient of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors. After fighting two different types of cancer, both forms of lymphoma and leukemia, I was unsure what my collegiate education would look like. I had to medically withdraw from my freshman year of college at Penn State University in the fall of 2018 when I received my second diagnosis. My family and I were completely devastated, but I was able to successfully undergo a bone marrow transplant and have been showing no evidence of disease (NED) for 3½ years now!

Dane

I was diagnosed with stage 3 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the summer before my senior year of high school in 2020. It was a tough adjustment dealing with the treatment and the aftereffects of treatment while going into my final year of high school. A relatively carefree life was upturned in an instant, and I was presented with new challenges of balancing my new condition with the social and educational challenges that the final year of high school posed.

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.

Sofia

As a five-year survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), I have come to truly appreciate the value of life's opportunities and the importance of being fully present in every moment. My battle against cancer has shaped me into a determined and compassionate individual, instilling in me a deep sense of empathy for others facing similar challenges. I am grateful to have been awarded a scholarship for cancer survivors by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), recognizing both my journey and my aspirations.

Volunteers: The Engine Powering LLS’s Mission

I was always aware that volunteers with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) drive impact for blood cancer patients and families. But it wasn’t until Thanksgiving Day 2007 that I discovered the full force of their power. My wife, Holly, had recently been diagnosed with follicular lymphoma and our family was still reeling from the news. She was feeling quite ill, and we were exhausted with worry and trying to keep life as normal as possible for our two young children.