Search Results
Tatijane
On February 19, 2021, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), both B and T cells, and given six to eight weeks to live. I was 24 years old. I was diagnosed alone in the ER because of COVID-19 protocols and unable to see my family and friends in person for a week or two because of testing, port placements, and biopsies. It was like an earthquake that shook up my life as well as all my loved ones’ lives, and all I wanted was to hug my mom.
Riley
On March 28, 2018, my husband brought Riley, my sweet, spunky six-year-old, to the emergency room for unbearable leg and hip pain, so unbearable she could no longer walk. I had a baby at home who wouldn’t take a bottle, so I had to let Tim, her dad, take her in without me. We were expecting to hear that she had a bone fracture or maybe even that something was broken.
We were not prepared to hear that she had cancer.
Every single day more than 40 parents will hear those exact same words, “Your child has cancer.”
AML Subtype
Determining the AML subtype is an important factor in treatment planning for your child. This determination is made based on certain features of the leukemia cells identified with the diagnostic tests. The doctor will speak with you about the drugs and “treatment protocols” (detailed plans of treatments and procedures) that are indicated based on your child’s AML subtype.
Clinical Trials
Taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice for some Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. Clinical trials are under way to develop treatments that increase the remission rate or cure the disease. Today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society continues to invest funds in HL research.
Click here to read more about clinical trials.
Relapsed and Refractory
Refractory AML: Most patients achieve a remission (an absence of signs and symptoms) after initial treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, some patients have residual leukemic cells in their marrow even after intensive treatment. Patients who have not achieved complete remission after two cycles of induction chemotherapy are usually diagnosed as having "refractory AML."
Treatment Outcomes
Treatment outcomes for people with CLL vary widely, and expected outcomes are influenced by the
- Stage of the disease
- Presence or lack of various factors associated with higher-risk disease
- Overall health of the patient
- Other considerations.
Current research suggests that newer treatment combinations and approaches may improve the length of survival. People with CLL should consult with their doctors to discuss individual potential outcomes. For survival statistics, click here.
Clinical Trials
Taking part in a clinical trial may be the best therapy for some non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients. Clinical trials are under way to develop treatments that increase the remission rate of or cure the disease. Clinical trials are carefully designed and reviewed by expert clinicians and researchers to ensure safety and scientific accuracy. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society continues to invest funds in NHL research.
Click here to read more about clinical trials.
Amanda
"He was selfless, unbelievably selfless," said Amanda about her father, Andrew. "He did everything for everybody. He worried enough for our family plus more. And never showed it. He worked extremely hard to provide us with everything we could possibly need."
Sofia
Sofia’s story starts in November 2022. Actually, it starts on March 17, 2019, when she was born. She has been my fierce, independent, strong-willed little girl from the get-go. Once she started walking, she was an unstoppable force. Contrary to her cautious, older brother, Sofia seemed fearless. She loved to climb to the top of the playground structure meant for kids twice her age. She loved gymnastics and took after Mommy with her love of the bars, anything she could hang or climb on.
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.
Clinical Trials
When it comes to finding the right treatment for your child's cancer, a clinical trial may be an option. Your child will have access to new or improved therapies under study and not yet on the market. Discuss with your child's doctor the possibility of participating in a clinical trial, where treatment is administered in a safe, closely monitored environment.
Click here to read more about clinical trials.
Nathan
Nathan is a young, T-cell lymphoma (TCL) survivor. He just rang the “end of treatment bell” a couple of months ago. His dad, Andy, is a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota board and a major donor to The LLS Children’s Initiative through their family foundation’s fundraising.
Freia
Freia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the age of 8. She and her family had just landed in Denmark for a family vacation when her parents noticed something wasn't right. After several trips to the hospital, they drove to Sweden where Freia’s grandparents live. It was there that her family heard those awful words, “Freia has cancer.”
Victor
Our father Victor was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of 30 with Burkitt non-Hodgkin lymphoma (BL). He was living in Los Angeles, California, at the time and had just gotten engaged to my mother, Debra. He began not feeling well and was diagnosed with a small mass in his stomach. He was told it was non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). He contacted The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and in coordination with MD Anderson, he went to Texas, and a protocol was set in motion to fight this disease.
Thomas
I was originally diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in November 2008. I went through one induction chemo and four rounds of consolidation chemo and then I was considered cancer free.
In February 2017, my worst fears were confirmed when I was diagnosed with AML for the second time. This time, it took two induction treatments of chemo to be declared in remission. I was then given a month off and went back to the hospital for more chemo and a bone marrow transplant. The last chemo nearly cost me my life. My kidneys and liver were shutting down.
Thomas
I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on February 17, 2015 and, subsequently, spent 56 nights inpatient at St. Luke's Hospital in Milwaukee being treated by a truly wonderful nursing team on the 12th floor. On July 28, to celebrate my final four-day inpatient chemotherapy treatment session, I biked 19.5 miles from our home in Brookfield, WI to St. Luke's. I felt so good to overcome the bite of ALL and continue to do one of the things I love to do ... Biking.
Armaan
In January 2014, Armaan celebrated his 5th birthday. He was tested for anemia a few days later at the urging of his pediatrician as he looked a little pale. Our world was rocked several hours later when the pediatrician called to notify us that Armaan had leukemia.
Armaan was immediately admitted into Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Stanford where he had a PICC line inserted into his arm and started his first round of chemotherapy. He is now in remission although he faces two more years of treatment to help ensure he doesn't relapse.
Jeremy
Lucy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when she was 32-weeks pregnant with our son Watson. She underwent two rounds of chemo while our son was inside her. After giving birth to our healthy, 4 lb., premature baby, she immediately went back to treatment with more rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant. After the transplant, she had to stay in 100 days of isolation where she could only see our newborn son through a glass window and wasn’t able to touch him due to her weakened immune system.
Melody
In November 2021, at just 24, Melody was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) after experiencing severe symptoms like profuse sweating, significant weight loss, and intense itching for the previous six months. After two biopsies and CT and PET scans, a tumor the size of a baseball growing quietly was discovered in her chest. She started treatment at City of Hope, enduring eight rounds of chemotherapy and six rounds of an immunotherapy trial. Her final treatment was on June 1, 2022, and she has been in remission for two years.
Psychological and Cognitive Effects
Psychological EffectsMost childhood survivors of cancer are psychologically healthy. However, some studies indicate that a small number of childhood leukemia or lymphoma survivors were more likely than healthy peers to report changes in mood, feelings or behavior, including depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Talk to your child’s healthcare team if you notice any changes in your child’s mood or behavior, especially if these changes begin to interfere with your child’s daily life.
Don
Like so many individuals diagnosed with blood cancer, I had zero thought that I might be ill, much less with a disease that could take my life.
I had signs and symptoms that something wasn’t quite right in my body, annoying things like shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and fatigue. However, nothing registered in my head until after my diagnosis.
It’s September 2005, and I am pretty much invincible, bulletproof! I could, in fact, leap tall buildings in a single bound! Yes, in my mind I was Superman!