Search Results

Kent

When Noah was born in 2005, we were surprised when the doctor told us he had Down syndrome.  Soon after, we were informed about all of the things that Noah wouldn’t or couldn’t do in his lifetime.  We were also given a laundry list of medical problems that he could potentially have.  Two months after he was born, Noah went into heart failure and had open heart surgery to correct four holes in his heart.  This was a tough time but boy did we have more to come and didn’t know it.  He has since had multiple surgeries, tests, studies, etc.  We were told that Noa

AJ

On December 23, 2018, our lives changed forever. And sadly, it was just the beginning.

I was assigned to work a night shift an hour away from where I dropped my son, AJ, off at my sister’s. I got a call from her two hours later. She said AJ was not feeling or looking well. My sister, Kyesha, took him to the emergency room.

I rushed out, put my emergency lights on, and drove an hour to the hospital. When I got there and saw my son, I didn’t know what to think or say. Tears started rolling down my face. AJ looked almost dead; his color was so blue.

Maggie

When I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). I shocked the doctors with how I was still alive because I had a mass the size of a grapefruit on my lungs and masses all over my other vital organs. When I was admitted to the hospital, they got chemo going everywhere they possibly could ― in my port, my arm, my foot. I was then put into a medically induced coma for about two weeks before waking up. After a while in the ICU, I was sent down to the main floor for hematology/oncology.

Ph-Positive ALL Therapy

About 25 percent of adults with ALL have a subtype called “Ph-positive ALL” (also known as “Ph+ ALL” or “Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL”). The leukemia cells of these patients have the Philadelphia chromosome, which is formed by a translocation between parts of chromosomes 9 and 22. A piece of chromosome 9 breaks off and attaches to chromosome 22, and a piece of chromosome 22 similarly breaks off and attaches to chromosome 9. The abnormal chromosome 22 is known as the Philadelphia chromosome. This chromosomal alteration creates a fusion gene called BCR-ABL1.

Sue

My story begins with a routine yearly mammogram in April of 2020. I am currently a 25-year breast cancer survivor. So, regular mammograms are just a part of my yearly routine, a simple procedure that I endure yearly with no big issues to speak of ― until now. During the mammogram, they noticed enlarged lymph nodes. My doctor thought it was no big deal, and we would watch them for two weeks and then do another mammogram. I wasn’t worried. She explained that I could be fighting an infection or that I just had large lymph nodes as a normal thing.

Timothy

I am an awardee of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors. I currently hold an associate’s degree in science and am pursuing my bachelor's degree in biology at California State University, San Bernardino, (CSUSB). I am very grateful to be granted this scholarship to help pay for my tuition. In fact, this is the first scholarship I have ever been awarded during my education. These funds are a big stress reliever as it has provided me with the ability to avoid taking out a loan for school and given me peace of mind.

Grace

I’m 15 years old, and I’m a ballerina, Junior Zoo Keeper at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, actress, singer, and I am a childhood leukemia survivor.

When I was five years old, my parents noticed that I was getting a lot more bruises and nose bleeds than usual (even living in New Mexico at the time). My abdomen was really swollen and I was taking frequent naps, which was also alarming to my parents.  They took me to an urgent care location near my house where the doctors said that I was fine.

Steve

Happy Pride! As a member of LLS’s new LGBTQIA+ employee resource group, Prism Alliance, and as staff in the Office of Public Policy (OPP), I’m excited to share my story and highlight OPP’s work as part of LLS’s Pride month celebrations.

Treatment

On average, individuals with essential thrombocythemia (ET) have a normal life expectancy if they are properly monitored and treated. It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) or works in consultation with a hematologist oncologist who has experience treating MPN patients.

Methods to Administer Drugs

Chemotherapy and other drugs are often given in combination with each other and can be given in different ways. The method of administering the drug is based on the actual disease diagnosed and the agent's effectiveness. Common methods include:

Side Effects

Therapy for CLL sometimes produces side effects. Side effects from kinase inhibitor drugs and monoclonal antibody therapy are generally milder than side effects from chemotherapy. 

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 side effects. 

Sophia

I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) one month before finishing my freshman year of high school. It was shocking and devastating to me and my whole family. I had to leave school, be hospitalized, and begin intense chemotherapy immediately.

Making Treatment Decisions

Adults living with blood cancer must make decisions about treatment, family, work or school and finances. If your child has been diagnosed, you must make similar decisions for your son or daughter.

You'll need to choose:

Imaging Tests

Imaging or radiology tests pass different forms of energy (x-rays, sound waves, radioactive particles or magnetic fields) through your body, creating pictures of the chest, abdomen, head, neck and other parts of the body.

Ed

Like many who get diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM), it comes out of nowhere. For me, it was mysterious aches and pains that crept up quickly. An alert doctor ordered tests, and eventually, MGUS, the precursor of MM, was first diagnosed. Within a month, MM was confirmed. MM is a blood/bone cancer that can affect the entire body.

For the next six months, I was involved in many tests, along with drug treatments including chemo. I had a stem cell transplant and have generally had a complete response.

Milliman Report

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) advocates for improved access to medications for patients.

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.

Yarnall Family

To be of service to others comes naturally to the Yarnalls. Bob is a 25-year Marine Corps veteran and a teacher. Kim is a chiropractor for over 22 years.

Dating, Sexuality & Intimacy

As a young adult you may be dating, in a relationship, or married. Cancer can make navigating romantic relationships complicated.

Dating can be intimidating no matter your situation. Remember, every date before your diagnosis probably did not go perfectly. You may have bad dates after your diagnosis as well. You may also meet incredible, new people.

Dental and Oral Complications

Side effects of cancer treatment may cause a variety of problems affecting the mouth, teeth and jaw, and they impact your quality of life. The side effects you experience will depend on the type and duration of the treatment you receive. There are things you can do to decrease the risk of dental and oral problems.

A thorough oral evaluation by a dental professional is recommended prior to treatment. During and after treatment, work closely with your entire healthcare team to manage any oral complications. Proper dental hygiene on an ongoing basis is essential.

Preparing for Tests

It's common to feel some stress or anxiety about having a test or receiving results. Discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor and ask questions so you understand why a specific test is being ordered and what to expect. You may have concerns or questions about:

Getting a Second Opinion

Leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes are each different types of cancers. What's more, each disease has subtypes. This means that the signs of the disease, how it's diagnosed and treated and the expected outcomes vary. That's why it's essential to have the right diagnosis before you begin or continue with treatment.

Isabelle

I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on December 4, 2003, at the age of five. As a young child, I was very energetic and loved to do anything outdoors and active, and I especially loved a good competition with my older brother Harrison. My parents began noticing that something was off when I started complaining about not being able to walk up the big hills in San Francisco where we lived. This was very uncharacteristic of me as I loved to race my brother to the top.

Refractory and Relapsed Childhood ALL

Most children with ALL are cured with standard chemotherapy treatments. But about 15 percent of young patients have ALL that returns after remission. This is referred to as a “relapse” of the disease (or “relapsed ALL”). Some children are unable to achieve a remission because their cancer does not respond to treatment. In these cases, the disease is referred to as “refractory” (or “refractory ALL”).

Lumbar Puncture

A lumbar puncture — also known as a spinal tap — is used to collect the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the brain and spinal cord to detect disease, infection or injury. A lumbar puncture can tell doctors whether blood cancer cells are present in the sample. In addition, the pressure in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord can be measured to provide other important information.

How Is It Done?