Search Results

Michele

I was recently diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). My mom passed away from pulmonary fibrosis right before Thanksgiving 2022. She never smoked and had none of the risk factors that led to that type of disease. So, I thought I would get a physical to make sure I was healthy. I have a 2½-year-old daughter, and I am an older mom, so I figured I should make sure my lungs were healthy. I didn't even have a primary care physician, so I asked my good friends for a recommendation.

Anna

I’m from Hungary. I’m 34 years old and just recently moved to Durango, Colorado, to marry my husband, Joe. For two years, we worked through a long-distance relationship during COVID and thought we would never face a tougher task in life than facing an uncertain future beset by travel restrictions, an eight-hour time difference, and thousands of miles. We wed in July, settled into our house we’d moved into in March, and I had just qualified for my work permit and landed a wonderful job as the Communications Specialist at a local non-profit.

Gal

My name is Gal, and I am 21. In 2011, I moved to California from Israel. Within a few months, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). I was only eight. I was dismissed by doctors for four weeks because I was too young even though I showed clear signs of blood cancer. My bones hurt a lot. I started to get a lot of big bruises, and I had an insanely high fever. I was in treatment for two years and seven months. I survived in 2013 as I entered my teen years. When I was sick, I would go to a camp called Camp Simcha. It is a camp for cancer patients in upstate New York.

Courtney

In March 2022, I began experiencing unusual symptoms of fatigue, nausea, persistent infections, and bloody noses and gums, but I didn’t think much of it. Following a lucky-timed appointment with my primary care doctor and multiple blood tests, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Cancer isn’t something an otherwise “healthy” 27-year-old thinks will come out of a doctor’s mouth.

Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (PH + ALL)

Renata

The best thing and the worst thing to ever happen to me happened at the same time. On my birthday, I found out that I was pregnant. That explained (I thought) why I felt so run down and lethargic. My husband and I were over the moon as this was our first child.

As weeks went by, what I thought was morning sickness hit me hard. I couldn’t keep food down. My doctor gave me meds; nothing helped.

Grayton

I am Grayton Bliss and I am a survivor! I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December 2008, at four years old. Today, I am 13 years old and I have conquered the disease and am in remission. My mother and father tell my story with a full and happy heart. We look back at photos taken just a few months prior to diagnosis and we can see the physical characteristics of the disease. My face was pale, my body thin and my skin bruised. Every photo I look at show a little more of the illness as if slowly my body giving into the disease.

Jaimie Potvin

Finding cures for cancer is especially close to my heart. In 2011, my brother, Cory was diagnosed with large B-cell lymphoma. Our dad was already a two-time survivor of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, so we truly believed he would survive blood cancer too. When his treatment showed no signs of improvement, it was devastating. Cory died six years ago and I still miss him so much every single day.

Tim

On March 10, 2015 I reached another milestone and turned 60 years young. I have been blessed with good health and the ability to swim, bike, and run. For over a decade I have been involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a board member and participant in more than a dozen fundraising triathlons/marathons for Team In Training events all over the world. My efforts will continue until cures for blood-related cancers are realized.

Liliana

Ciara and Liliana were born a few years apart and grew up in a happy home with their mother, Heather and father, Danny. I would describe Ciara, age 7, and Liliana, age 5, as always smiling, always playing, always pretending, always hiding and always giggling. Happiness was contagious when you were around them. Both girls had big brown eyes and long brown hair and their beauty was only matched by their genuine kindness.

Janet

My caregiver journey began in 2005, when my husband found a lump on his neck and was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After being admitted to the hospital for nine rounds of chemotherapy, he went into remission.

Danielle

I am currently on the Board of Trustees for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Minnesota chapter. The reason why I decided to dedicate my time, talents and networks to this organization is because I am passionate about finding a cure for cancer. This passion runs so deep in me, it serves as a constant reminder of how fleeting life can be. And, that everyone deserves a lifetime.

Charles

In June 2018, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) while living in Italy. I was shocked. After six months of mysterious rashes and illnesses, the pieces finally came together at a walk-in clinic off Piazza di Spagna. Sounds romantic, huh? It wasn’t.

Volunteer

It all began in 2010 after my friend Cara and I ran the LA Marathon. We had already trained on our own for the 26.2 miles race. I thought, “Why not just keep running?” That’s when I found the nonprofit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their fundraising program called Team In Training (TNT)! TNT was the only program you could volunteer with to get a secured race entry into the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon. So, I registered for an informational meeting at the mall near my parents' house, listened to the staff and coaches, as well as a survivor, and I was hooked.

Kassandra

Exactly a month before my 24th birthday, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As a young adult, hearing the words “you have cancer” come from a physician’s mouth was earth-shattering, to say the least.

Prior to my diagnosis, I had been working in clinical research and was enrolled in a Biomedical Science Master’s program with hopes of continuing to medical school and becoming a physician. However, my career aspirations were placed on hold when I received my diagnosis. Immediately, my dedicated student lifestyle turned into one of a full-time patient.

Cayden

In April 2020, three-year-old Cayden began experiencing leg pain and developed an unusual limp that alarmed his mother, Courtney. Soon, the pain progressed to a stiff neck and loss of appetite. Just two weeks later, after multiple tests and doctor appointments, Courtney and her husband would hear the words that every parent fears, "your child has cancer". Cayden was diagnosed with a high-risk form of blood cancer, Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Toben

Toben had entered preschool at 3½ years old, and within a few months, he was getting sick often. He started getting random fevers that would go away in a day. When he got leg and arm pains, we started to get concerned. The pains were so bad that he couldn't walk and would wince when we picked him up or moved him. At his four-year check-up, he wasn't showing any signs or symptoms, so we chalked it up to growing pains. Most of the summer he was fine, but by the end of July, the symptoms were stronger and lasted longer and longer.

Lincoln

In the fall of 2017, Lincoln was not feeling well and had typical cold virus symptoms. He also had a recurring fever and an unexplained rash. After two trips to the pediatrician, the doctor thought he had a persistent virus and then bronchitis. On our third visit, they thought he may have mono, so bloodwork was taken, and we were told to go to Children’s Hospital immediately. We were scared and had no idea what was wrong. Cancer was not even a thought.

older white woman with dark long hair wearing black chunky glasses with bling on them and a black top

Annette

I had been feeling unwell for quite a while. I would come home from work and go to bed right after dinner. I would sleep for hours and still be fatigued. When we had afternoon meetings, I would fall asleep. My husband and I kept thinking it was my very stressful job. I was on airplanes three times a week and would be traveling all over the country. I wasn’t eating or sleeping well. I finally decided to take early retirement. I still did not feel well even after being retired. I finally got to the point where I was so sick, I told my husband to take me to the emergency room.

Kevin

My senior year of high school was supposed to be the best year of my life. College applications, celebrations, and memories with friends—I had it all planned out. But life had a different path in store for me. At the very start of my senior year, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and just like that, my world changed forever.

Kim young white mother with long blond hair in a pink dress with three little girls wearing princess outfits and crowns sitting outside

Kim

On February 22, 2011, our 2½-year-old Abigail just stopped walking. We were baffled and took her to the pediatrician who sent us to the hospital to have her tested for a joint infection. After several hours at the ER, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). That was not what we had expected, and we worried about her identical twin as well. Eight months into Abigail’s treatment, in October of 2011, her identical twin Natasha was also diagnosed with ALL.

Essence

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.