Search Results
Kemal
On July 4, 2014, I noticed a large lump on the side of my neck when it didn't go away after a couple of weeks. I went to see my doctor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and had a biopsy done. It was non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
After admitting myself into the hospital for a week of chemo I was allowed to go home and rest for three weeks only to go back and check in again for another week. We did that six times for a total of 700 hours of chemo. Thanks to a great staff at UIC with the help of Dr David Peace, I am cancer free today, one year later. You can beat it too!
Lab and Imaging Tests
Doctors use several different lab and imaging tests to help detect (diagnose) a blood cancer (leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes or myeloproliferative disease). You may need to undergo additional tests to confirm your diagnosis.
Once your diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor may need to test you for certain genetic, cellular or molecular characteristics that will help him or her treat your specific diagnosis.
Your doctor considers these test results along with information from your physical examination and detailed medical history to:
Keisha
In 2017, I was diagnosed with a rare and chronic form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). I was beyond devastated as I knew there was no cure for my condition, and I also knew my life would be altered in many ways. I was also finishing my last semester in graduate school and almost gave up my dream of graduating. But with the support of my family, school, physicians, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), I persisted and received my Master of Education in 2018.
Brooke
In September 2014, just shy of four months after college graduation, I was blindsided sitting in the emergency room at Duke Hospital.
Pamela
In the fall of 2009, I rushed my wife, Pam Lewis, to the first of six emergency room visits. As with all of the visits, she was in such acute pain she could not answer the admitting questions coherently. She screamed in pain and scared several nurses in the process. My wife had always had a high threshold of pain, so her screams scared me also.
Lynette
It all started with a race... I began running back in 2011 with the sole purpose of losing weight. I joined a running group and became interested in races, specifically the Nike Women's Half Marathon.
Lauryn
After visiting Fiesta Texas on July 11, Lauryn complained about pain in her lower right leg. She had been complaining of pain and swelling in her lower right leg since April when she accidentally caught her leg in the car door. We took her to an orthopedic urgent care center when she continued to complain of pain while she was walking. After x-rays did not show a fracture, she continued to have a bump on her lower leg and the pain increased over time. I took her back to the orthopedic urgent care on July 12. The same P.A.
Beth
Shortly after Thanksgiving of 2008, I started feeling sick and extremely weak. By late January of 2009, I was diagnosed with stage IV aggressive Burkitt’s lymphoma.
Alyssa
In March 2017, after not feeling well for over a year, Alyssa was diagnosed with histiocytosis disease. Even though she wasn’t feeling her best, she graduated that year with National Honor Society honors and received a scholarship from Valparasio University. She was excited to go to college and fulfill her dream of going into the medical field. But her plans changed when she developed a high fever while on family vacation that summer.
Jennifer
In 1985, 10-year-old Jennifer took to the stage to accept The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) “Employee of the Year” award for her mother, Teresa McVay, who had lost her battle against chronic myelogenous leukemia earlier that year. That was Jennifer’s first time speaking on stage, but it would not be her last. Driven by her mother’s traumatic passing, Jennifer has been a public speaker on Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs), sharing her own experience with loss in order to bring awareness to the cause.
Paul
In 2001, I described my health as excellent. I had a great job, was very physically active, and participated in a number of nonprofit activities. However, I very occasionally experienced extreme abdominal cramps that caused nausea and curling into a fetal position for approximately five hours. Doctors were perplexed, though suspected gallstones.
Jaden
My name is Jaden, and I am an 18-year-old Political Science student at Penn State University. I have been deeply involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) since I was 10 years old, a journey that began with a profound personal experience.
Liz
In December 2010, my fiancé, Darla, was diagnosed with stage 4 small B-cell lymphoma (NHL). Her doctors developed a plan to start her on chemotherapy as soon as possible. She became very sick over the next couple of weeks. When she went to her first treatment three weeks after diagnosis, they could not administer the chemotherapy due to her being so ill. They put it off for a day and began Rituxan® treatment the next morning. She began having an allergic reaction to the drug. They stopped the treatment and tried to stabilize her, but later that evening, she passed away.
Ainsley
On July 15, 2019, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Before this, I was a healthy teenage girl going into my sophomore year of high school and playing volleyball. I started chemo and did four aggressive rounds. I finished chemo on October 3, 2019. Soon after, I was back at school. I started playing volleyball again in my junior year. Being diagnosed helped me realize what I want to do with my life. I’m now going into my freshman year of college to study nursing to become a pediatric oncology nurse.
Tina
My son Evan was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when he was two years and seven months old. He went into remission a month later. He finished his chemotherapy and treatment, but shortly after he relapsed. He went through radiation and chemotherapy again and was given a bone marrow transplant. He never made it out of the hospital and passed away when he was four and a half. The reason I fundraise for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is so other parents won’t have to go through what we went through.
Bethaney
My name is Bethaney Jones and I am a Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor. I was diagnosed in April 2018 after a routine check up for a cough that lasted for months.
After my diagnosis, I was unable to complete the school year with my awesome third graders. I endured six months of chemotherapy and I was able to ring the bell on October 12, one day after my 28th birthday.
Olivia
Olivia was diagnosed with Stage 4 Burkitts lymphoma shortly after her 4th Birthday and after her baby sister was born.
It began when she was too weak to walk and misdiagnosed by a couple doctors. It wasn't until she ended up in the emergency room and ICU where they found the cancer.
She started emergency chemo right away and endured nearly eight months in the hospital . She was a fighter all the way.
Hirshel
My nickname is "The Running Rabbi" for competing in the New York Marathon. I visited the 52 hostages in Iran and received the Award of Courage from President Ronald Reagan. I have survived cancer five times, and in thanks for my life, I have dedicated myself to being a prayerful friend to my fellow cancer patients and their loved ones everywhere. I welcome cancer patients to contact me for prayer and support. I am also the co-author of a book that chronicles my battle with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and my spiritual triumph over despair.
What to Tell Your Child
Regardless of age, children are usually aware when their health causes their parents concern. Your child may experience a variety of emotions, such as anger, guilt, fear, anxiety and sadness, all in quick succession. Sometimes parents wish to shield their child from information about the illness and its treatment. Keep in mind that your child will use his or her imagination to fill in perceived gaps of information. Talk with your child about the illness and its treatment. Listen carefully to what your child is saying (or not saying) and then answer his or her questions.
Follow-Up Care
Click here for information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.
Related Links- Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's factsheet Hairy Cell Leukemia
Follow-Up Care
Click here for information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.
Related Links- Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s free booklet, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.
Follow-Up Care
Click here for information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.
Related Links- Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s free booklet, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.
Follow-Up Care
Click here for information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.
Related Links- Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s free booklet, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.
Nicolasa
The first time I heard of Team In Training (TNT) and raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was when my friend and I wanted to run the Nike Women's Half in D.C. We filled out the application and got accepted and started raising money, not having a clue about where this path was going to lead us. It was at that time that I began to realize the impact leukemia and lymphoma have had on my family and friends, whether they or a loved one had gone through treatment. I wrote all of their names on my singlet and carried them with me along that course.