Search Results

Geoffrey

My wife was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in November 2014. She went through a three-year protocol of a steroid regimen followed by one year of oral chemotherapy. She was pronounced in remission after one segment of chemotherapy but went through the entire protocol. Living in Chicago at the time, she was treated at Northwestern under Dr. Diner, a specialist in her type of ALL. Then in 2020, we moved to North Carolina and were referred to Dr. Kataryna Jamieson at UNC Hospital for what we thought would be a yearly or biannual checkup. In July of 2020, Dr.

Alexandra

My dad was diagnosed with leukemia this past fall. Our family was left in utter shock as my dad was the epitome of health his whole life. From our yearly ski trips, hiking and biking excursions, and running four marathons (motivating me to run my first with him), there was nothing he couldn’t do. He still continues to be the strongest man I know five months into his battle. He continues to face every day with a smile on his face and his head held high.

Gail

I have large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGL), 12 years in remission. I wanted to share this poem I wrote as a message of hope for those who may be suffering with leukemia.

My Blessing!

This is my season to get my blessing! This blessing took a long time in coming. There were

so many obstacles standing in my way, but I conquered them. So many mountains in front of me that I could not climb and it

made me feel like I could not go any further, but I was able to climb them and look at me now.

Marty

My story is very unique. Christine and I got married in July of 1979. In August she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As we all now know, the prognosis at that time was not the best for an adult with ALL. There was a new procedure called a bone marrow transplant. Chris was not a candidate and seven months after we were married, she passed away at the age of 26.

Zulay

In July 2020, just four weeks away from Zulay’s 4th birthday, she became sick with a fever, bruises, and weakness. We made a trip to Cook Children’s in Fort Worth, Texas. After about two hours, the doctor came back with the news no parent ever wants to hear. She said, “I’m sorry, Zulay has acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Zulay was then admitted to the ICU.

Stephanie

Ever since I saw my dad run the New York City Marathon in 2019, I knew it was something that I wanted to strive toward. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I put that dream on pause to start a full-time job as a clinical research coordinator for bone marrow transplants.

Quade

Quade “Q” Marks is a 14-year-old freshman at East High School in Denver, Colorado. He loves to play lacrosse, ski, snowboard and aspires to be a trauma surgeon. He is also a blood cancer survivor.

young white woman running team in training

Lauren

In the fall of 2022, my cousin lost her battle with leukemia. She was the most lovely (a word that makes me think of her) and kind person, and at the memorial service, Kate's sister said Kate had said, "There is nothing better than to be young and to run." This sentiment stuck with me for a long time as I am also a runner, and I started thinking about how I could honor her in my own way. The family had directed those who wished to donate to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), so I researched and discovered Team In Training (TNT).

Blonde teen girl with leukemia in blue and white medical gown pulling down a face mask

Georgia

On August 18, 2021, after months of complaining about severe knee pain, I was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL). I was 16 at the time of my diagnosis and was supposed to be starting my junior year of high school that same day. (It was the first time everyone went back to school since COVID). The diagnosis was unexpected, and I started treatment right away at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Since COVID was still around, I was unable to see anybody other than my parents. It was a very scary, lonely time.

Emilee

In 2021, at the age of 19, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). I received three rounds of aggressive chemotherapy before having a bone marrow transplant at Stanford. From that point on, I have stayed in remission with no evidence of disease. I am now 21 years old, and a full-time student with three jobs!

Disease Complications

In medicine, a complication is a medical problem that occurs during the course of a disease or after a procedure or treatment. Possible complications of ET include:

Disease Complications

In medicine, a complication is a medical problem that occurs during the course of a disease or after a procedure or treatment. Possible complications of PV include:

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:

Michael

I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on October 4, 2009. I received a bone marrow transplant from a younger brother. My late wife was originally diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She died of metastatic breast and brain cancer on July 18, 2018. We were each other’s primary caregivers.

Disease- and Treatment-Related Pain

People with cancer can have pain caused by the cancer itself, its treatment, or both. They may also have pain caused by other health problems that are unrelated to cancer (like arthritis or diabetes).

Increased pain does not mean that the cancer is getting worse, but you should always tell your healthcare team if you have increased pain.

It’s important to remember that no matter what the cause, pain can be treated.

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.

volunteer for nonprofit wearing a decorated outfit

Krisha

I’m always open for an opportunity to dedicate my time and efforts in assisting those in need. I am on a mission to provide support and comfort to individuals who are battling leukemia and lymphoma. This is in honor of my relatives who have lost their lives to cancer. I am extremely happy to be able to be part of a cause that helps other survive and thrive.

Luis

I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in 2008. I immediately started my chemo treatment in pill form which is Gleevec® 400 mg. I was in treatment for seven years until 2015, and I completely stopped all treatments. I have been cancer-free for the past nine years. I want to share my story and experiences with others.

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.

Follow-Up Care

Aiden

I am writing to share about my son, Aiden, who is our real superhero and has superpowers that shine bright through his love of dance. From a very young age, we considered Aiden to be our gifted child. He has a free spirit and loves to connect with the world and others in it. His parents have taught him to "dream big" and "reach for the stars" and he can do whatever he puts his mind to.

Michele

The news came that I had been dreading after three days of being hospitalized. Finally, they would tell me my diagnosis. Why my blood counts were critically low. Why the pain in my right leg was excruciating. Why morphine didn’t touch that pain. Since arriving at the hospital, my inner dialogue was on repeat, “What’s wrong with me? Somebody please just tell me everything is going to be fine."

Matthew "Scott"

On January 11th, 2019 at 9:35 p.m., exactly 11 days before my baby brother's 40th birthday cancer decided to come to the party uninvited. It would be the first time in my life that I would see my mother, the strongest person I know, collapse in utter disbelief. He had a cough he couldn't shake, his doctor sent him for some blood work at lunchtime, by dinnertime his platelets were 7,000 and his Dr. said he should go to the hospital for some tests, and by bedtime we were transporting him to The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.

Katie

Only a couple weeks into my first year of my graduate program, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with FLT3 mutation. I was only 21 years old and my entire world got flipped upside down. My whole life changed and I was about 1,000 miles from home.