Search Results
Juliana
Juliana is a vibrant, sweet, intelligent, and brave daughter to Judith and Jorge. She was born on May 24, 2017, in Houston, Texas. On December 30, 2021, Juliana was diagnosed with leukemia. On January 2, 2022, after three and a half days in the hospital and one full day in the ICU, her diagnosis was confirmed as B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Subaru Loves to Care
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is partnering with Subaru and its retailers to spread hope, love, and warmth to blood cancer patients and their families for the sixth consecutive year. As part of Subaru Loves to Care, we’re providing information on free education and support services from LLS to those fighting blood cancers across the country.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy uses your own immune system to fight cancer. There are several types of immunotherapies, and each works to help the immune system in a different way. Some boost your body’s immune system. Others train your immune system to attack specific cancer cells.
Immunotherapies being used or studied to treat blood cancer include:
Landon
My cancer journey began on June 24, 2018. A month before that day, I'd experienced chest pains, night sweats, and shortness of breath. After scheduling a doctor's appointment, my primary physician determined that it was merely an upper respiratory infection. For a week, I took the medicine prescribed by my doctor, hoping that I would soon feel well again. With little to no signs of improvement, I scheduled another appointment for Monday, June 25th. We didn't make it to that appointment, because on June 24th, I lost oxygen and passed out.
Allison
During the start of the pandemic, my boyfriend began working out from home with all the gyms being closed. While working out, he discovered a lump under his arm. We both waved it off as nothing to worry about, but he still asked his doctor about it just in case. His doctor wanted him to get it biopsied. I dropped him off for surgery, still naive that anything would actually be wrong. He wasn't showing symptoms, he was active and healthy, plus he was young. “We” were young. We were in love, talking about getting engaged, and just moved in together. What could go wrong?
Elissa
Ten years ago, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). She has since been deemed cured and has had no recurrence since her successful treatment. Some of her medicines were funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). We spent years racing for Team In Training (TNT) to fundraise for LLS.
Art
I was living in San Jose and had gone walking with a friend in a local park that followed the stream. It was December 15, 2006. Tom noticed that I had difficulty climbing up the five-foot stream embankment that the path went through. I myself didn’t recall this. Ten days later while visiting my wife’s children in Fairfax, the children and I went on a trail as we always did on Christmas morning. I found myself badly winded and returned to their home while they continued the hike. Then I noticed that I was not attracted to the Christmas feast.
Gabby
Her name is Gabriella Sarai. We call her Gabby! She is a feisty little four year old. She has been running circles around her two older brothers, her dad, and me since she was able to walk. She is the baby and the only girl. She gets away with a lot.
Nate
On Monday July 17, 2017 my world got flipped upside down. I got out of work to bring my son, Nate to the ER, he had a bad stomach ache, my thoughts were he might have appendicitis. When I got him to CCMC, he was in extreme pain and they took him in right away. Initially the docs thought the same, they did a bedside ultrasound to find the appendix and it could not be found. A few hours passed and I'm asked to step out the room. At that moment I knew that my life would never be the same... My son, my life, my everything was sick and this time a kiss and band aid wasn't going to fix it.
Madeline
Being in a very close-knit family, we were devastated upon learning of our sister Madeline’s diagnosis of AML. There were 4 of us girls and all 3 of us wanted to do anything to help our sister survive. Our biggest challenge was staying positive and offering her and her family support. The 3 of us were tested and I was her perfect match. I was overjoyed to be able to do this for her. Although my other sisters felt let down that they weren’t, we were all constant support through her journey.
Jennifer
Jennifer of Hayward, CA, was diagnosed with myeloma (MM) in 2008. During this process, she endured a year of intense chemotherapy, followed by an autologous stem cell transplant where her own stem cells were harvested and reintroduced into her body on January 8, 2010. This resulted in an extended hospital stay followed by radiation treatments. She is currently in remission and remains under doctor’s care. After her diagnosis and treatments, she wanted to give back to others living with the disease.
Sue
My story begins with a routine yearly mammogram in April of 2020. I am currently a 25-year breast cancer survivor. So, regular mammograms are just a part of my yearly routine, a simple procedure that I endure yearly with no big issues to speak of ― until now. During the mammogram, they noticed enlarged lymph nodes. My doctor thought it was no big deal, and we would watch them for two weeks and then do another mammogram. I wasn’t worried. She explained that I could be fighting an infection or that I just had large lymph nodes as a normal thing.
Todd
I was diagnosed at age 33 as a result of an unrelated blood test, very young, I was told. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed low risk. My local oncologist sent me to a regional teaching hospital to get a second opinion, and that opinion was, "If I had to pick a cancer, this would be it." Terrible start!
Donna
I was shockingly diagnosed with a monoclonal spike in November 2019 (six months after the unexpected death of my mom). Treatment was started in June 2020. I went to Mt. Sinai NYC where they have a team that just deals with multiple myeloma (MM). I am grateful that a couple of people recommended I go there. They treated me with four drugs, one of which wasn’t available at my local oncologist. The regimen was Velcade, Revlimid®, daratumumab, and dexamethasone. I had this induction therapy until my stem cell transplant in March 2021.
Lisa
On my ex-husband's 40th birthday, I asked him to take me to the hospital. I'd had elective surgery a week prior, and I knew something was terribly wrong. I felt awful, it hurt to breathe. In emergency, we learned I had acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and bilateral pneumonia. A triple lumen was put in so I could receive antibiotics, blood transfusions, and chemo at the same time. I wasn't expected to make it through the weekend, and my entire family traveled to Dallas to be with me. Through a series of events, I was fortunate to be cared for by Dr.
Hailey
My mother and I being diagnosed with stage II Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) only six weeks apart from each other was not what I anticipated receiving for my 16th birthday. Braces, being my homeroom representative, volleyball tryouts, and getting my driver's license are the things I thought I would be navigating at this time. Instead, I spent my 16th year in pediatric oncology, receiving treatment at the same time my mom was receiving care in adult oncology.
Kerry
I’m a 26-year-old woman who never expected my life to change so dramatically. I was living what felt like an ordinary life — working at a school, spending time with friends, and keeping up with my daily routines. But things took an unexpected turn when I started experiencing night sweats. At first, I dismissed it as a cold or something minor, especially since I worked around kids who were always bringing home new germs. However, when the night sweats continued, I became frustrated. I began researching the cause and read that swollen lymph nodes could be a sign of something serious.
Treatment
On average, individuals with essential thrombocythemia (ET) have a normal life expectancy if they are properly monitored and treated. It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) or works in consultation with a hematologist oncologist who has experience treating MPN patients.
Choosing a Blood Cancer Specialist
Hematologists specialize in internal medicine with a subspecialty in hematology, the study of diseases of the blood. A “hematologist-oncologist” is a doctor who specializes in treating people with blood cancers. Pediatric hematologist-oncologists treat infants, children, and adolescents with blood cancers. Blood cancers are uncommon diseases, so it can be to your advantage to be treated by a doctor specially trained to focus on treating patients with blood cancers.
Children and End of Life
Children facing end-of-life have specific needs and concerns to consider. It's important to approach them in a spirit of honesty. However, honesty doesn't mean overwhelming them with information and details that can be frightening. Honesty means honesty of feeling. Information needs to be screened and made appropriate for their needs.
Maggie
When I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). I shocked the doctors with how I was still alive because I had a mass the size of a grapefruit on my lungs and masses all over my other vital organs. When I was admitted to the hospital, they got chemo going everywhere they possibly could ― in my port, my arm, my foot. I was then put into a medically induced coma for about two weeks before waking up. After a while in the ICU, I was sent down to the main floor for hematology/oncology.
Stephanie and Amy
Stephanie: My journey with blood cancer began long before my diagnosis. In 2006, my world was shattered when my mom, just 52 years old, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). She was quickly isolated in a specialized hospital, enduring grueling rounds of chemotherapy. I was about to start nursing school and desperately tried to educate myself on her illness, knowing deep down that the prognosis was grim. They mentioned a bone marrow transplant, but she never made it that far. A fungal pneumonia took her from us in December 2006.
Be Your Child’s Advocate
Parents may need to educate other family members, friends, school personnel and healthcare providers about long-term and late effects. Here are some steps parents can take: