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Shameel

Telling a child that they have cancer and explaining what that means is one of the most difficult conversations you can have with your child.

Shameel was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 7. As a mother, I couldn't imagine my young, courageous boy, who appeared happy and healthy, not being able to do stuff like tennis, ice skating, piano, and swimming, which he enjoyed and had mastered. It was very shocking to me, and I was in denial for almost a month as cancer does not run in our family.

Makenzie

My daughter Makenzie was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in January 2013, when she was just four years old. She had no signs or symptoms of leukemia. One day, Makenzie had a sore throat and we made an appointment with her pediatrician. Turns out she did have strep throat, but an exam also revealed her spleen was very enlarged. At that point, her pediatrician did bloodwork and learned that Makenzie's white cell count was through the roof. We were sent to Texas Children’s Hospital where later that evening she was diagnosed with CML.

Sal

Meet Sal. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Survivor. Florida. Sal was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) before his daughter Olivia celebrated her first birthday. After multiple courses of treatment proved unsuccessful, he underwent a bone marrow transplant in September 2011. Now, almost three years later, Olivia is almost 5 and her Daddy is celebrating his "three-year post-transplant birthday"! Sal is healthy and strong - and has the energy to play and laugh with her. Most beautiful of all, he can now dream of being at her side for all kinds of birthdays to come.

Robert

In 1990, I was diagnosed with M3 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) - now known as acute promyelocytic cancer (APL) - when I was a twenty-year-old college student studying abroad in Northern England.

I had ignored obvious symptoms for about a week leading up to my diagnosis, and it took another full week just to coordinate my departure from the UK to the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, not far from where I grew up. A host of complications followed during my first round of induction chemotherapy including massive amounts of internal bleeding.

Mateo

Our Journey On June 26 2013, at six years old, Mateo was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Our world was completely upside down since that night. Our hearts shattered when we processed the words "your child has cancer ".

Christie

Today I am celebrating one year of being a CML survivor! With my initial diagnosis, I wondered what did a person with CML look like? I immediately began to consider my final days of life with making edits to a living will, securing a cancer life insurance policy and making sure my mother would be well taken care of.

A couple of weeks later, unbeknown to me that I would come face to face with a renowned preacher, who looked me in the eyes and told me with a strong abrasive voice, “Cancel Your Plans To Die!” While I didn’t expect this profound order, I did take heed.

George

I am a 72-year-old retired Information Technology professional. I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in June 2002 and remain in active treatment today. Over the last 22 years, I have had more than 700 trips for doctor visits, treatments, lab test, emergency room, hospitalizations, and pharmacy. My biggest challenge over the years is managing the cost of premiums, medical treatment, drugs, travel, and medical appliances. I found multiple resources that stepped in to assist me with my financial challenges related to my CLL.

Yolanda

As many people were afraid to go to the doctor I was propelled to have a colonoscopy due to the death of Chadwick Bozeman. That decision changed my life. In December 2020, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma at age 44. Here I was amid a pandemic, just celebrating Christmas and ringing in the New Year as a newly diagnosed cancer patient. Like many people diagnosed with cancer, my first thought was, “I’m going to die.” I thought I’d die before seeing my daughter grow up.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, utilizes your own immune system to fight cancer. It generally results in fewer short-term side effects than chemotherapy does.

Immunotherapies being used or studied to treat blood cancer include:

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the bone marrow and the blood that progresses rapidly without treatment. AML mostly affects cells that aren’t fully developed, leaving these cells unable to carry out their normal functions. It can be a difficult disease to treat; researchers are studying new approaches to AML therapy in clinical trials.

Types of Treatment

The factors that will determine your treatment regimen may include:

LLS Encouraged by Progress in Congress on Policies That Support Patients

Charlie

At two and a half years old, Charlie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Soon after being diagnosed, she underwent surgery to insert a port-a-cath so she could receive chemotherapy treatments and make route blood work easier on her. Chemotherapy treatments were extremely hard on her little body and she refused to walk. She had neuropathy from the treatments.

Tessa

Tessa surprised our family when she came rockin' an extra chromosome. She spent 11 days in the NICU and left with oxygen but seemed in good health otherwise. When Tessa turned 18 months old, she became very sick. She had multiple infections that wouldn't go away, became lethargic, and wasn't her cheerful self anymore. After a blood test, her pediatrician suspected leukemia. More tests confirmed Tessa had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). She went through chemotherapy for two and a half years and finished treatment in May 2020.

Sherri

I have donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for many years. This year I wanted to do more in honor and loving memory of my dad, Frederick. 

Complications of CLL or CLL Treatment

People with CLL are more likely to get infections.  

Dr. Rafael Bejar

I am a physician-scientist with a primary focus on treating and understanding blood cancers like MDS and AML. It's a job I love and one that has given a lot back to me over the years. However, it was also a very unlikely outcome for me. I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay where I lived until I was 5 years old. My parents were both recently minted physicians facing bleak job prospects in a hostile political environment at home who bravely sought out better opportunities abroad for themselves and their two children.

Samantha

Hi, I’m Samantha, and I am a pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivor (B-ALL)! I was diagnosed in October 2018, the beginning of my junior year in high school. Before being diagnosed, I missed about a month of school due to being sick. I was misdiagnosed three times before they found out I had B-ALL. When I was diagnosed, the doctors told my parents and me that if it had been undiagnosed for a day or two more, I wouldn’t have woken up, and my parents would’ve found me. I’m so lucky it was found before it was too late.

Jason T.

My name is Jason T. Quimby and I am the proud past caregiver of my wife and ALL survivor Susana Moro. In November 2016, my wife, was diagnosed ALL leukemia ph+ and admitted to the Miami Cancer Institute South Miami Campus to start her pediatric chemo protocol. Needless to say that for a forty-something mother of three teenage girls this was a huge personal and family challenge to overcome.

Deborah

I am a 54-year-old mother of two, the owner of a small business, Park Hill Yoga and have been married for 22 years. Being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2015 came as the biggest surprise of my life.

Tawilhua

My name is Tee, and I am a survivor of multiple myeloma (MM), a rare blood cancer. Before my diagnosis, I was an active principal at the school where I worked, was involved in my community, and lived a life of purpose. And then I was diagnosed with the “Big C.”

Today, I still have a purpose-filled life, it simply looks different than before. Telling my cancer story is a part of living a fulfilled life after a cancer diagnosis. So here is Tee’s story.

Teri

I was first diagnosed with a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) called polycythemia vera (PV) in 2012. I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed when they said the “C” (cancer) word and then the “R” (rare) word. I have been living with a handful of rare diseases for some time and now a rare cancer. At that time, there was limited information. I started to research MPNs, attended some conferences, talked with a social worker (Amy is my hero) at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and connected with the MPN Research Foundation and MPN Advocacy Foundation.

Side Effects

Both cancer therapy and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can sometimes produce side effects. For most patients, side effects are temporary and subside once the body adjusts to therapy or when therapy is completed. For other patients, side effects can be more severe, sometimes requiring hospitalization. The side effects of chemotherapy may vary, depending on the drugs used and the overall health of the patient.

Talk with your child’s doctor about potential side effects. Medications and other therapies can prevent or manage many side effects.

Paige

On September 8, 2020, my youngest baby Paige was diagnosed with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (HR B-cell ALL) at Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. This diagnosis came after two weeks of visually noticing a change in Paige's behavior. By that point, she had been suffering from a high fever (102-104°) for two weeks after being misdiagnosed by Patient First Urgent Care. She had extreme fatigue, complaints of sore muscles, and literally not wanting to do anything. But this discovery happened by chance.

Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

• Is an uncommon blood cancer that has features of two other types of blood cancers. For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies CMML as myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. There are about 1,100 cases each year. 
• Generally affects older adults.
• Is diagnosed in twice as many males than females.