Search Results
Elmer
Hey, I appreciate the work of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). I did the Facebook fundraiser in honor of my friend Mr. Larry in Florida who is now in remission after being diagnosed with leukemia. He’s a dear friend of mine, and he has a lot of courage and determination to beat this illness. I wanted to do this to help raise money for LLS and for all those who face an uncertain future. I’m planning to do 31 days instead of just 21 because I feel many people exceeded their miles per day in very cold conditions while I just walked mine inside on the job where I walk a lot.
Facts and Statistics Overview
Leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are types of cancer that can affect the bone marrow, the blood cells, the lymph nodes, and other parts of the lymphatic system.
Click on the links below to view statistics about each disease:
Judy
Meet Judy, a leukemia survivor, and teacher. Given a death sentence of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), Oregon native Judy prepared to have her ashes scattered on Mt. Hood. But her participation in the phase one clinical trial for the miracle drug Gleevec® gave her a new life.
Doug
On July 16, 2014 I had just finished eating out at our local diner. When standing at the register to pay, my defibrillator fired and an ambulance was called. Within two hours of arriving at the emergency room I found out I had leukemia. I had had no symptoms other than the lab work that showed the disease. I was in disbelief when I heard the words "very aggressive form of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)." By the next afternoon I was started on a heavy regiment of arsenic and ATRA chemotherapy treatment.
Johanna
I am a teacher from Texas. My journey to Team and Training wasn’t immediate. I moved to Texas from Louisiana. When I moved to Texas, I decided to start running to meet people and to help with my homesickness.
Stem Cell Transplantation
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation has been used to treat and sometimes cure chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) patients. However, because of the high, sometimes life-threatening risks associated with stem cell transplantation, doctors rarely use it in elderly patients or patients in poor health.
Chemotherapy
Because of acute lymphoblastic leukemia's (ALL's) rapid growth, most patients need to start chemotherapy soon after diagnosis.
Chemotherapy drugs kill fast-growing cells throughout the body including cancer cells and normal, healthy cells. The damage to normal, healthy cells can cause side effects. Yet, not everyone experiences side effects the same way.
ALL treatment consists of:
Dorothy
Dorothy Spriggs was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in 1999 and is currently doing well.
Since 2011, “Ms. Dottie” has volunteered with the Baltimore chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She does office work regularly, participates in events and volunteers as a peer counselor to support others living with the same diagnosis.
Gary
My stepdad Gary passed away from leukemia on October 18, 2023. He began feeling ill in September 2023 ― lightheaded and dizzy. He took himself to the hospital, and after several weeks of testing, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on October 3. He was told he could do treatment, and there was a chance to beat it. He and my mom went to the hospital the next morning to start treatment. On this morning, October 4, the doctor told them that it was a rare variant, acute erythroid leukemia, and there really weren’t any treatment options.
Forest
In September 2017, our world crashed when I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Over the next several years, I experienced numerous chemotherapy sessions, radiation treatments, a stem cell transplant, many side effects, infections, and another cancer. There were moments when I felt near death. Despite these difficulties, our Christian faith was a source of strength and hope throughout this journey. We decided to write a book about our faith journey through leukemia.
Janet
I support LLS because leukemia and lymphoma has impacted my family. On Mother’s Day in 2006, my cousin's six year-old daughter, Sydney was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). After a year of fighting so hard, Sydney passed away.
The doctors at the New York Hospital were amazed and acknowledge that because Sydney did not give up and she fought such a painful battle, she had done so much for the advancement of research in leukemia.
Chuck
Meet Chuck a leukemia survivor. He is the Indianapolis Colts Head Coach, "My condition was leukemia. But my position was, I'm walking out of here. For everybody who's battling this disease, for everybody who's going to battle this disease, I would just say, look, your attitude's got to be one of, I'm gonna beat it."
Imatinib mesylate
Generic name Imatinib mesylate Pronunciation i-MAT-i-nib MES-i-late Brand name(s), other common name(s) Gleevec® Drug type Tyrosine kinase inhibitor How the drug is given By mouth Indications and UsageImatinib mesylate is FDA approved to treat
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.
Georgia
Today I would like to give thanks to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. With the fantastic staff, and volunteers we have truly come so far. As an ALL survivor, Team In Training Alumni, and participant it is so amazing to see what we have all done for blood cancer patients and their families.
Christal
My brother was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in September 1996 and passed away in April 1997, his senior year of high school and less than a month after turning 18. As a young person watching my brother suffer through his cancer diagnosis and subsequent death, it took away pieces of me that I will never get back. Not only me but my parents, his friends, our church, and strangers alike. Throughout the years, I have felt exhausted in grief as I denied my feelings, only to be hit by it in full force in unexpected moments.
Tony
It was 40 years ago that Tony was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 2. Back then, the disease wasn't very well understood, and the technologies and treatments didn't have a great deal to offer. It was a rough road, but Tony managed to make it through with the help of his mother and many experimental drugs. He went through chemotherapy, radiation, spinal taps, and hair loss, and at age 12, his doctors couldn't find any trace of leukemia.
Side Effects
Cancer therapy for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) can sometimes produce side effects. For most patients, treatment side effects are temporary and go away once therapy ends. For other patients, side effects can be more severe, sometimes requiring hospitalization. Some patients never have any side effects.
Before you undergo treatment, talk with your doctor about potential side effects. Drugs and other therapies can prevent or manage many side effects.
Diagnosis
An accurate diagnosis of the type of leukemia is important. The exact diagnosis helps the doctor estimate how the disease will progress and determine the appropriate treatment.
Diagnosing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the AML subtype usually involves a series of tests. Some of these tests may be repeated during and after therapy to measure the effects of treatment.
Brittany
Brittany, a 37-year-old mother, is currently fighting leukemia for the second time. Known for her generosity and support for others, Brittany enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and above all, loving her son. Unfortunately, on August 6, 2022, Brittany received an unexpected diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when she was 35 weeks pregnant. This news shattered her perfect pregnancy plans and forced her into a battle against cancer.
Treatment
The main treatment for ALL is chemotherapy given in phases. Most treatment regimens take 2 to 3 years to complete.
Not every child with ALL receives the same treatment. Your child’s doctor will tailor your child’s treatment based on the ALL subtype and other factors, such as age, health and how the cancer responds to treatment.
Your child’s treatment may also include:
Patrick
It was November 2023. The doctor looked at me and said, “Mr. Reese, I’m terribly sorry to have to tell you this, but the leukemia has relapsed again. Combined with the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) that is currently raging, we no longer have options for treatment. Our suggestion is that you start comfort care through hospice.”
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.