Search Results

Jack

Jack is a particularly big fan of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  His is an active Patient Advocate managing a local support group for patients and caregivers interested in his rare blood cancer, he participates in LLS' First Connection program, has helped with LLS' Team in Training and Light the Night recruiting efforts.  He received LLS' appreciation award "For Outstanding Commitment and Support of Advocacy and Patient Quality of Life" in June 2104.

Melissa

I want to tell you about my hero, my wife, Melissa. She is service-focused from the time she gets out of bed until the time she returns. She's been a part of Team In Training for the past three years and has raised well into five figures to help others. That's what made her Hodgkins lymphoma diagnosis all the more ironic.

Vonshel

Hi, my name is Von, and back in 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I didn't want to die, but prayer and God sent me right to the perfect doctor: Dr. Moran from Brunswick, GA. I got through chemotherapy and radiation with a breeze, and I'm now in remission for 13 years.

Caitlin

In June 2016, I was diagnosed with a super rare form of leukemia called Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Neoplasm (BPDCN).

At the time I was 12 years old, just graduated sixth grade and was looking forward to entering middle school. 

During one of my gymnastics practices, while doing a dismount off the beam, I hit my ankle really hard which caused it to bruise. The bruise formed into a lump so my mom took me to my pediatricians who then referred us to my hospital, where I received a skin biopsy and was diagnosed with cancer a week later. 

Anasia

I was diagnosed at 26 years old with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in June 2022. I was still a newlywed having married my best friend in 2021 and was a mom of two boys (ages three and one).

I began experiencing symptoms in May 2022 and didn't think it was anything other than stress ― until they became unbearable. Losing unintentional weight, having night sweats, a swollen face, and chest pain ― my husband knew something wasn't right. We waited in the ED for hours before being seen and having several tests run.

Paul

In 2001, I described my health as excellent. I had a great job, was very physically active, and participated in a number of nonprofit activities. However, I very occasionally experienced extreme abdominal cramps that caused nausea and curling into a fetal position for approximately five hours. Doctors were perplexed, though suspected gallstones.

Liz

In December 2010, my fiancé, Darla, was diagnosed with stage 4 small B-cell lymphoma (NHL). Her doctors developed a plan to start her on chemotherapy as soon as possible. She became very sick over the next couple of weeks. When she went to her first treatment three weeks after diagnosis, they could not administer the chemotherapy due to her being so ill. They put it off for a day and began Rituxan® treatment the next morning. She began having an allergic reaction to the drug. They stopped the treatment and tried to stabilize her, but later that evening, she passed away.

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.

J.J.

The first time I remember hearing of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was through Team In Training (TNT), specifically from a brochure I picked up at a bike shop that invited one to train for a 109-mile bike ride with TNT. It was 2007, and I thought it sounded like a blast. I convinced my girlfriend at the time, Stacey, to join me. We used the occasion to buy some fancy new bikes. With some fundraising and committed training dates, we would be able to say we had done a Century Bike Ride! Cool!

Zariyah

Zariyah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on May 9, 2016. She had just turned three years old the previous November. She was immediately admitted to Montefiore Children's Hospital when her blood test results came back as positive for leukemia. Her blood levels were three when they were supposed to be 11. They actually almost sent us home stating that whatever was causing her illness was viral. I requested that blood be taken and tested because I just knew it had to be more than just a cold or flu.

Sara

In May 2019, I was surprised and delighted to find out that I was pregnant. Throughout the summer, I eagerly delved into extensive reading and research on pregnancy and the first-time mom experience. However, this period also brought about a challenging early pregnancy. I found myself short of breath after even short walks, relied on numerous naps, and surprisingly didn't experience intense pregnancy cravings. In fact, I wasn't gaining much weight.

Julie

March 22, 2020- 7 years since acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis, CURED!!! I am so blessed to be alive to celebrate my 7th year since diagnosis of AML! Who celebrates being diagnosed with AML or any cancer for that matter? But let’s be honest, in the cancer lottery, AML, is not one of the preferred. At least if you cling to cancer stats which is something I highly discourage. The first problem with AML stats specifically-the mean DX age of 68ish.

Edie

My warrior daughter Edie entered the world on July 30, 2016 with eyes wide open ready to soak it all in and leave behind her indelible mark. From early on, we knew we had our hands full. Our first months as new parents were filled with the usual sleepless nights and anxiety, but Edie had a special way of keeping us on our toes. Our wide-eyed beauty did not take kindly to naps or bedtime, fighting vigorously to have her way, but we soon realized this was Edie’s world and we were just living in it.

Ananya

Jacqueline

It’s been five years since my daughter was diagnosed with stage ¾ Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). She had just graduated college, and she had a lump on her right clavicle area. We went to the doctor, and then it all started, from CT scans to biopsy to telling us that it would be six months of chemo, and that’s it.

Lenny

I am nominating an extraordinary person, that I have never met in person before.  This person truly changed my life in many ways.   He has performed many positive actions that changed my perspective and outlook of people for the better. He truly has the power to change millions of people's and or their family's lives, and my family and I were fortunate to be the recipients of access to his extensive knowledge base and his immediate comforting support.  

Gianna

My story began nearly seven years ago on February 28 when I received the call from my doctor and heard those dreaded words, “You have cancer.” A week prior, I had gotten a lymph node biopsy for a lump that randomly grew on my neck. As a healthy 19-year-old, cancer was the furthest thing from my mind, and receiving a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) was simply unbelievable to me and my family. Hearing this news began a three-week blur of diagnostic testing and meetings with oncologists, fertility specialists, and surgeons before my first chemotherapy treatment on March 23, 2015.

Trisha

In November 2019, Trisha and her husband were thrilled to have given birth to her second daughter. At this time, she went to visit her OBGYN for her 6-Week Postpartum Exam, and to her surprise, her doctor noticed she had an enlarged spleen and liver. She was immediately instructed to go to the emergency room, where she was admitted for one week. After a bone marrow biopsy, Trisha was diagnosed with plasma cell leukemia (PCL). Three days later, I went to another follow-up with my oncologist.

Martha

I want to share the story of how my mom, who has acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) inspired me to fight for my dreams, overcome every obstacle, and create a new beauty brand.

Martin

On February 15, 1993, seven-year-old Martin was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). During the following three years, Martin, like so many other young cancer patients, experienced a series of painful procedures, as well as intensive chemotherapy as part of his treatment protocol.

Lisa

On February 3, 2020, my life changed forever. My husband and I welcomed our first child, a baby girl named Quinn. But, three weeks after she was born, I started to not feel the best.

On Friday, March 13, 2020, the day of the COVID-19 shutdown, my life changed forever again. After two weeks of having fevers and night sweats and being tested for everything but cancer, I went in for scans. Two hours after I had my scans, I got the call that nobody wanted to hear. I had cancer.

Jill

My world changed forever in April 2021. Life was going so well . . . I was 35 years old, my kids Henry (9), Olivia (7), and Ruby (5) were getting excited about summer break (and all the trips we had planned), my insurance business was in full swing, and all my plants and flowers were in bloom. I was doing what I loved most, working in the yard, when I noticed my right pinky finger was going numb, and I began having trouble walking. We immediately went to the ER. The doctors initially thought it was a stroke, but luckily a fantastic neurosurgeon was on call and saw the MRI.

Katie

I want to share my blood cancer journey. It all started back in October 2019 when I was at Gonzaga University. I started to experience the symptoms that I’m sure we’re all far too familiar with ― stomach pain, digestive problems, nausea, chest pain, and fatigue, all of which I was dealing with in addition to 20+ hours a week of tennis practice and a 15-credit class load.

Sonia

I am a two-time cancer survivor, first diagnosed in 2004. Fortunately, I received treatment at Rush University Medical Center, a teaching hospital closely affiliated with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). During my initial treatment, I underwent CHOP chemotherapy alongside the groundbreaking drug Rituxan® discovered through LLS research. My doctor explained how Rituxan® would ensure my survival, sparking my curiosity, and leading to a meeting with a representative from LLS. The gratitude I felt during that encounter was overwhelming.

Lorna

I was diagnosed with Stage 4 NH large B-Cell primary hepatic lymphoma in April, 2013. I was told by my doctor that this was a very rare form of lymphoma with less than 200 cases in the US. I had surgery to remove 90% of the right lobe of my liver as the tumor was very large at 16cm (initially I was diagnosed with liver cancer until they removed the tumor and the pathology revealed that it was NH lymphoma).