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Cristina

My story begins in October of 2018. I had recently graduated from college, moved away from home for the first time, settled into my own apartment, and started a full-time job. I felt like I was on the verge of greatness with all of these new and exciting beginnings in my life. I didn't know that I was about to have another massive beginning... the beginning of my battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I was sitting at a cancer fundraiser dinner, anxiously twirling the spaghetti on my plate. I had a gut wrenching feeling in my chest that something was wrong.

Cathy

I had blood cancer and for that, I’m lucky. I’m not being facetious, I really believe I’m lucky. The doctors told me that Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is highly treatable and this is the cancer to have if you’re going to get cancer. But that’s not the only reason why I’m lucky. The very first philanthropic effort that I did with my BFF was when we were 17 years old and allowed to donate blood. This is one of the first times I realized I was lucky. By giving blood I could give the gift of life. It’s something I also had in common with my husband who is an avid blood donor.

Betsy

My dad, my best friend, lost his short 15-day battle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on January 23, 2008. Dad was 72, but not just any 72-year-old man. He had so much life in him. He was very active in his community and loved his wife (they were married for 44 years), his daughters (my sister and I), and especially his three grandchildren!  He lived every moment to the fullest and you knew he enjoyed life just by listening to his infectious laugh! He always had a smile on his face, a story to share, and those always needed words of wisdom to share.

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.

Jeff & Melanie

My wife, Melanie and I had always been pretty healthy. We exercised, tried to eat right and discovered the value of meditation. But things changed in 2018.

Melanie had developed a cough that just wouldn't go away. She had it for months. And then she discovered a lump near her collarbone. Tests revealed on Sept. 6, 2018, that the lump was Hodgkin lymphoma and it was present in several other lymph nodes. She began a months-long treatment regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. It wasn't easy.

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.

Sonny

The last conversation I had with my daughter Sonny was one that I will never forget.  As she sat there exhausted from the leukemia and CDiff and sepsis that was ravaging her body; we talked about how much of a fight she put up.  She could only respond with a short, “I know Momma”.  To which I replied, “You don’t have to fight anymore baby.” Again, “I know Momma”. I told her that her Poppa was waiting in Heaven on his tractor to take her for a ride like she used to love when she was little.

Diana

My introduction to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) began in the early 2000s. I joined a Light The Night Team to support research and programs for cancer patients. I then discovered Team In Training and ran my first marathon and my second as a Team Mentor. At the time, I knew cancer was a terrible disease, but it wasn’t until 2012 that cancer became more personal. In May 2012, my cousin Richard, who was like an older brother to me, passed away from pancreatic cancer. Just two years later, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Brandi

My concerns began to rise when I noticed some spotting/bleeding between cycles that would last for 10 minutes or less. Additionally, I also started to experience slight abdominal cramps first thing in the morning. I’ve always been a deep sleeper and rarely woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary. That escalated to me waking up multiple times in the middle of the night to try to use the restroom, sometimes without cramps and other times with extreme abdominal cramps.

Holly

It felt just like any other Saturday after my dad's birthday. He got his annual checkup and bloodwork, and we would all celebrate our April birthdays around Easter Sunday. But this turned into something unlike any other Saturday. His cell phone rang, and everything changed. He was told to go to the ER immediately because something was wrong with his bloodwork, specifically his red and white blood cells.It could have been the shock of feeling everything all at once and being numb simultaneously.

Erin & Meghan

I always loved fall. It is such a special time. My birthday is the first day of fall. I love unpacking my favorite boots, lighting pumpkin spice candles, and making warm soups. Fall always signified that special holidays and quality time with family were quickly approaching. These were events to get excited about! But in the last few years, fall has taken on a new meaning for me.

Aryan

Hello, my name is Aryan. I am 13 years old. I was almost five years old when I first got diagnosed with cancer. It started as a normal summer like always, and we were planning to go somewhere. My dad was always traveling because of work, so it was just me and my mom. I would mostly spend time at my grandparents’ house because I could play games with them. One day my dad saw a bump on the back of my head, and our pediatrician told us that it was a lymph node. My pediatric doctor told my parents that it's normal, part of recovery from a fever or cough and to monitor it.

Neil

It all started with what I thought was an injury to my right hip from "banana boating" while on a family vacation in Myrtle Beach in 2006. The pain wouldn't leave, so I went through physical therapy with moderate success. But night sweats, incredible nightmares, and utter exhaustion were also taking place. The doctor decided to do a scan. The abnormalities showed that a referral to an oncologist was needed. It all went downhill very fast from there with liver failure and fainting spells. I was a Spanish teacher and could barely make it through the day.

Sally

In January 2021, my new life journey was about to begin. After doctor visits, bloodwork, testing, and finally complete shock, the diagnosis of cancer was given to me and my family, large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We were in disbelief but ready to fight. As my oncologist stated, “You have an aggressive form of cancer, we will treat you aggressively, and it is potentially curable.” Those last two words were what I needed to hear. Let the fight begin. 

Jason

I'm Jason, and I am 38 years old. Early last year I was very sick. I had a fever that would not go away for over three months. Every day I broke 103 degrees, and at least six times I hit 106 degrees. I was getting bloodwork after bloodwork done, seeing doctor after doctor when finally, I met my oncologist, and he did a bone marrow biopsy. He called me the next week and told me I had stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and we needed to start tests immediately so we could expedite my chemo treatment.

Nancy

Being a lymphoma survivor means that you have lived through something very challenging. There is no doubt that cancer is one of the most challenging diseases. The treatments for this disease are very intense physically, mentally, and emotionally. As a retired oncology registered nurse, I saw the pain and desperation in the eyes and lives of my patients and their families. Never imagined that I was to become a cancer patient myself.

Tricia

My story is truly about the little family that could. In 2002, I felt I had it all: a loving partner, a new job offer, and plans to start a family. Upon my return from a business trip in May, that feeling shifted as a large lump appeared on the side of my neck. Several doctor visits, tests, and sleepless nights later, I received a phone call on the way to a meeting from a doctor. He asked me to pull the car over. He told me I had cancer. Everything stopped.

Angela

I am a two-time Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cancer survivor. I was first diagnosed with stage 2 HL in 2006. I underwent chemo and radiation. The doctors at my check-ups were no longer looking for cancer but looking for the effects the treatment had on me. Well, eight years later it came back aggressively as stage 4 HL in my lung. I went to Dr. Armitage at Nebraska Medicine and underwent a stem cell transplant using brentuximab vedotin, a target therapy drug that was successful. He is a worldwide expert on lymphoma, so I knew I was in good hands.

Stephenie

Alyssa

My story begins with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism but they noticed something unusual with my white blood cell count, which was elevated but I had no infection. Further tests revealed that it was lymphoma. My initial diagnosis was incorrect so I went for a second opinion at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. They performed extensive bloodwork and my official diagnosis was primary splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL).

Spencer

I am a 27-year-old transgender man who won a hard-fought battle with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma just after graduating from college. My story begins with a good friend. One night, we were hanging out around the house and they caught a glimpse of my neck under a particular light and said, “Hey, come here for a second, your neck looks pretty swollen.” We both looked in the mirror and noticed something protruding from the space where the left side of my neck met my clavicle. I called my doctor’s office and made an appointment for the next day. 

Jesus E.

My grandpa was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) in 2007. It turned our world upside-down. You always hear these stories of families going through the motions of this disease but never personalize it until it actually happens to someone you love.

Taylor

In February of 2019, I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). What started with a simple cough quickly turned into the most challenging year of my life. When you hear the words “you have cancer,” the world stops spinning. There is no way to prepare for the cold, dark fear that takes over when there are so many unknowns. At this point, I didn't even know what lymphoma was. I was so lucky to have UCLA fighting with me and the incredible support of my entire family by my side. I owe it to all of them for pulling me through.

Amanda

"He was selfless, unbelievably selfless," said Amanda about her father, Andrew. "He did everything for everybody. He worried enough for our family plus more. And never showed it. He worked extremely hard to provide us with everything we could possibly need." 

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.