Search Results
Laura
I was diagnosed with stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in December 2020, but at the time, it was considered to be "indolent." That quickly changed in late February 2021 when I experienced intussusception, a painful telescoping of the bowel into itself requiring hospitalization. A colonoscopy revealed a 7 cm. mass of the cecum, and the biopsy showed that it was MCL. I was discharged from the hospital with the agreement that I would come back a week later and start chemo/immunotherapy.
Logan
July 3, 2021, was the day that my life changed forever. I had been dealing with odd symptoms for months, and after multiple visits with dismissive practitioners, I finally had the ear of a doctor who believed me. A tumor located in my mediastinum was discovered via a CT scan. This news was devastating. I was due to be married in one month and how could someone who is just beginning her life possibly have something like this happen?
Ann
After being in remission from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for 12 years, things were going well for me. Then a day after my 48th birthday, I was diagnosed once again! It hit me really hard, and I could not seem to get past the words from the doctor, "You have_____."
Keith
Hi! My name is Keith. I’m currently 37 years old. I was diagnosed on November 6, 2015, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). My wife, Tesia, was proudly serving in our finest Navy at the Pentagon when I received the news. She came home, and I had to deliver the news to her. It was rough; it was scary; it was a blur. I felt like I was on autopilot.
Shaun
I endured poor-prognosis acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple rounds of brutal chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and an open heart surgery - all for only a small chance of survival. The journey since has been more than difficult. Lingering effects of the lifesaving treatments seem endless.
Lisa
I lost my big brother Vincent J. Di Cristo to two forms of cancer on February 14, 2014. He apparently had both high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as Burkitt lymphoma. I’m very confused as to how he could have had two different types of cancer because as far as I know, he was always in good health.
Patience
We were clobbered, like every patient, every family, who gets clobbered with a life-threatening diagnosis.
Amanda
As a popular entertainment anchor on the “Good Day LA” morning show in Los Angeles, Amanda Salas has always kept busy. But after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in June 2019, she has had to refocus all her energy and time on fighting for her life.
Dulcy
I was 18 and had just moved away to go to nursing school, when I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). In 1997, the only treatment option for CML was a stem cell transplant, a far cry from the oral treatment options available today.
Christy
I fell in love with distance running in 2010 while training for my first marathon as a member of Team In Training, raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since then, I have completed five full marathons and one ultra-marathon (49K). I started getting into mountain running in 2016, and aspire to run some mountain races here in Alaska, including Mount Marathon in Seward!
Antonio
In 1985 at four years old I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Luckily, my sister who was two at the time was a bone marrow match so I underwent a bone marrow transplant. The house of chemotherapy and radiation left me nauseas to the point I couldn’t bear the smell food. But thankfully, I was soon in remission.
Kiernan
On Oct. 24, 2011, my husband, Rob Smith, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He had a bad case from the beginning. He was FLT3 positive and had poor cytogenetics. He received so many rounds of treatments I can not keep count. He battled for 11 months and following a bone marrow transplant, which was part of an experimental trial in Seattle, he died in September 2012, just four days after his 40th birthday.
Rachel
Rachel was diagnosed with stage 4B Hodgkin lymphoma in February 2015. She was 26 years old. The moment when her oncologist first spoke the words “you have cancer” were surreal to her. She looked to her parents who exchanged the same look of disbelief and shock, then quickly looked away before fear and sadness settled across their faces. Her mind started to race, “How am I stage 4? I don’t feel that sick. This has to be a mistake, where did this even come from? What happens now?”
Joan
In October 2014, I was handing out candy to my neighborhood’s tiny ghouls and goblins, but the scariest thing that Halloween was a phone call from my doctor. My heart pounded as the doctor told me I had myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder in which the bone marrow stops functioning properly. My current MDS diagnosis is refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts. My treatment consists of red blood transfusions and Reblozyl® injections.
Steven
In 2017, I was 52 and in pretty good shape. I was at the gym working out, and after a certain lift, I could not get off the bench by myself. After being helped up, I somehow drove myself home. The next morning, I could not get out of bed without my wife lifting me up. We went straight to the doctor and got an MRI. Then we got the news “you have cancer,” and it is eating your vertebrate in your neck. I was sent to a spine and neck specialist and also to a cancer doctor to find out what kind of cancer. Multiple Myeloma (MM) was the diagnosis.
Bryana
Hello everyone! My name is Bryana and in September 2022, at 23 years old, I was rushed to the hospital unable to breathe. I recently went on a trip to Las Vegas and had gotten sick while there, but never expected what was coming for me next. I was initially diagnosed with pneumonia but when I had a CAT scan done, the radiologist noticed an abnormal 5cm mass in my chest pushing on my bronchial tubes. My oxygen levels were low and my CBC came back abnormal, I had a severely low amount of WBC which brought up suspicion.
Miguel
In 2017, I found out I had non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). I was always a healthy person who exercised almost daily at the time, so this came as a complete shock. I immediately wanted to start treatment; the sooner the better. My wife did all the research and investigating into where I could find the best treatment as quickly as possible. We were emotionally devastated by the entire ordeal.
Teri
I was first diagnosed with a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) called polycythemia vera (PV) in 2012. I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed when they said the “C” (cancer) word and then the “R” (rare) word. I have been living with a handful of rare diseases for some time and now a rare cancer. At that time, there was limited information. I started to research MPNs, attended some conferences, talked with a social worker (Amy is my hero) at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and connected with the MPN Research Foundation and MPN Advocacy Foundation.
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.
School
This page includes information about:
Treatment Outcomes
Among patients with MF, the prognosis (meaning the likely outcome of the disease) varies widely. Each patient’s risk factors are evaluated individually to determine their prognosis.
The approximate median survival for MF patients is as follows, based on their risk category:
Hospice
Hospice embodies a philosophy that delivers compassionate care to people, including children, who are approaching the end of their lives and provides emotional and physical support to them and their loved ones. Hospice offers medical care that focuses on maintaining and improving quality of life for someone whose disease or condition is unlikely to be cured. An interdisciplinary hospice team provides medical care, pain control and emotional and spiritual support that is tailored to the individual needs of each patient and his or her family.
Work, School & Finances
Work and SchoolSome people continue to work or attend school through cancer treatment, but others are not able to do so. Talk to your healthcare team to know what to expect from treatment so you can make the decision that is best for you.
Blood Cancer and Treatment Options
Treatment OptionsAfter your child is diagnosed with a blood cancer, you will work with members of the healthcare team to determine the best treatment plan. Treatment options vary depending on the patient's diagnosis, age, overall health, and other factors. Your child’s treatment plan might include