Search Results

Ashen

My son, Ashen graduated from high school this year, but he was diagnosed with leukemia back in July 2015. He was devastated and depressed when he was told of his life threatening illness. Here is his story.

Richard

People tend to think that cancer will never affect them. I know, because I was once one of those people. Growing up, I never knew of anyone that had cancer. Then, in 2005, my father-in-law contracted a brain tumor; the worst type. I remember feeling a sort of, panicky feeling in the beginning as we were told he had three to six months  to live. However, since day one, he had the best outlook on life and he lived until 2008. He is just one of my hero’s.

Eileen

To say that I have always been daddy's little girl would be the biggest understatement. Everything from school dances to projects in the garage, I could always be found by my dad's side. In 2009, my dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Maddox

Maddox's journey began in October 2015 when he first started showing signs of being sick at just three years old.  He had a tummy ache one day and a few bruises on his arms and legs, both of which we thought we had explanations for.  It wasn't until he experienced a nose bleed at daycare and had an extraordinarily whiny day on a field trip, that I started to wonder if something else was going on.

Steve

Shortly before Steve McHugh and his wife moved to San Antonio in 2010, the rising star chef was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and spent a year undergoing eight rounds of chemotherapy. During treatment, he was in the middle of moving to San Antonio and helping to open a new restaurant. Between managing construction, organizing food vendors and working with the kitchen designer, he was able to find some time to go home and rest.

Jim & Leslie

Jim and Leslie Donigan have been married for almost 50 years. Currently retired with three adult children, they have both faced a cancer diagnosis, but are in remission today.

In October of 2003, Leslie was diagnosed with a stomach cancer called GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors) and was told it was terminal. But then her doctor tried a medication intended for blood cancer—and it worked.

Barrie

My story start’s the week after Christmas, I went to my family physician for my yearly physical and blood work. All came back good. I also schedule my first colonoscopy. All was good again except I been getting out of breath doing minor activities and short walks. My family physician suggested that maybe I try more exercise and walking during my breaks.

Ronnie

After several months of flu-like symptoms, 11-year-old All Star little leaguer Ronnie took a blood test that would determine his white blood cell count was nearly 1 million. Ronnie was immediately sent to Ann and Robert H. Lurie’s Children’s Hospital of Chicago where he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Jason T.

My name is Jason T. Quimby and I am the proud past caregiver of my wife and ALL survivor Susana Moro. In November 2016, my wife, was diagnosed ALL leukemia ph+ and admitted to the Miami Cancer Institute South Miami Campus to start her pediatric chemo protocol. Needless to say that for a forty-something mother of three teenage girls this was a huge personal and family challenge to overcome.

Carter

In May 2019, when Carter was just two years old. While attending his cousin’s graduation in New York City, I knew something was not right because he was not feeling well. We rushed him to New York Presbyterian Hospital where he received several blood and platelet transfusions. He was then transferred to Cornell Medical Center where many tests were performed that resulted in the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). When we heard those three word’s Carter has cancer, we did not expect that news!

Joan

What a beautiful wedding, a beautiful bride, and a handsome groom. Love was in the air. For 10 weeks this lovely couple lived in their honeymoon state of mind. They had been blessed with the ability to buy a small condo that they filled with dreams and aspirations of what was to come. Miranda was her name. She was physically very petite but oversized in her desire to be the best wife ever to Joe. Her long, dark hair emphasized those large, dark eyes and creamy clear skin. Ten weeks later, the diagnosis was leukemia. She took it as her personal challenge to do what she must to survive.

David

I am a proud, 52-year-old stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivor now living in Los Angeles again (my long-time home). I was living in Cleveland to help with some family matters for a couple of years. I found a great new job in Los Angeles, and the very day I accepted the new job, I received my diagnosis (August 25, 2022). That put my life on hold.

Andrew

My son, Andrew, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in January 2022. He had been very tired for months, and we had a frustrating few months while our primary care physician (PCP) missed his diagnosis and chalked it up to being a busy teen and perhaps needing a sleep study. When he was finally diagnosed, he was stage 4. He underwent six months of intense chemotherapy. Mid-treatment scans showed a complete response, and we were excited and relieved. His post-treatment PET scan, however, showed recurrence.

Kate

In April 2023, I went to the doctor for an MRI for what I thought was a torn meniscus in my left knee. Unfortunately, that MRI showed that there was a growth on my left femur. After two full months of testing, surgery, and some more testing, I was officially diagnosed with primary lymphoma of the bone (PLB). This type of lymphoma is pretty rare, so I immediately turned to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for resources and guidance on how to navigate the scariest time of my life. The next month of my life was a whirlwind.

Virginia

Last August I was diagnosed with stage 2A Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). I was going into my senior year, but instead of going to my first day of school, I had to go to my first day of chemotherapy. In October, after two full cycles of chemo, I got to ring my cancer-free bell and begin my recovery process. Today, I am in the process of growing back all my red hair and training to play Division One soccer at George Mason University in the fall.

Hadley

My granddaughter Hadley was three years old when she suddenly started limping in pain and was unable to bear weight on her right leg. Forty-eight hours and three medical appointments later, her bloodwork showed acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). It was a nightmare that came out of nowhere.

Choosing a Blood Cancer Specialist or a Treatment Center

Taking an active role in making decisions regarding your treatment can have a positive effect on your health and quality of life. One of your first choices as an active participant in your care is to either select a specialist to manage your treatment or to choose a treatment center.

You may be seeking a blood cancer specialist or a treatment center because you:

Cancer Drug Therapy and Nutrition

Some drugs used to treat cancer can interact with food in ways that your treatment team will inform you about. When you begin a new treatment or start using a new drug, tell your doctor about any food allergies you have and ask:

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:

Megan

I am a 12-year-old girl who likes to play soccer and basketball, and I am in 7th grade. I was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS-EB) with monosomy 7. It is a blood cancer similar to leukemia. It is extremely rare for pediatric patients to receive this diagnosis, between 1-4 children out of every million.

Ariel

I was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) on January 24, 2019. I hadn’t been feeling well for a while. I was having very odd symptoms. For example, I was having joint pains, I kept hearing this whooshing noise, my gums were bleeding, and the biggest symptom was I would get out of breath so easily. Walking up the steps of my apartment building felt like running a marathon. I went to an urgent care clinic and described these symptoms, and the doctor gave me an antibiotic and sent me home. I’ll never forget his face before he discharged me. I could see he was unsure.

Amanda

I am now a two-time acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivor. When I was diagnosed with AML, it was an absolute complete shock. At the time of my diagnosis, I was a stay-at-home mom to my then three-year-old son. In a matter of a few hours and three words, “You have cancer,” my life completely turned upside down.

Teresa

I was diagnosed in 2009 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Upon diagnosis, perhaps the greatest shock was becoming aware that I knew so little about cancer, so little about the medical system, and how one needs to go about a process of self-education regarding their disease.

My diagnosis occurred at the Simon Cancer Center, a part of the Indiana University Health System. I was fortunate to have a neighbor who is a nurse practitioner at this cancer center. She intervened when she found out that a routine shoulder MRI revealed multiple enlarged lymph nodes.

Chloe

At the age of 13, I became the youngest stem cell donor at Johns Hopkins Hospital. At 15, I am a Student Visionary of the Year in the 2024 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) campaign. LLS has become an integral part of my life over the past two years. In the spring of 2022, the peaceful life of our family was shattered by my mom’s diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Learning that a stem cell transplant was the only cure, I volunteered to donate my bone marrow to her.

Stem Cell Transplantation

The goal of stem cell transplantation is to cure the patient’s cancer by destroying the cancer cells in the bone marrow with high doses of chemotherapy and then replacing them with new, healthy blood-forming stem cells. The healthy blood stem cells will grow and multiply forming new bone marrow and blood cells. There are two main types of stem cell transplantation. They are