Search Results

Munira

I will never underestimate my parents' sacrifices to provide my siblings and me with the millions of opportunities we have due to their hard work. My parents were born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Both were born to families who instilled the traditional family value of grit in every walk of life. My parents both obtained a high school diploma with the intent of seeking higher education, but the obstacles of living in a developing country robbed them of the chance.

Robert

My story starts in March 1983. I was lucky to have been chosen to attend Squadron Officer School in residence at Maxwell, AFB, Alabama. I was, I thought, a healthy 28-year-old and newly married with a promotion to captain the following month. Then, a worrying symptom suddenly occurred. Everything was going dark briefly under physical exertion. I shrugged it off as heat exhaustion until just climbing one flight of stairs resulted in a blackout without unconsciousness. It was then I decided to drive home for the weekend to advise my wife and decide my course of action.

Eva young white woman with reddish hair sunglasses on her head in a white tshirt under a multi color shirt with blue jeans standing in front of a stone wall.

Eva

In 2014, as a 19-year-old sophomore in college, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). After two years of suffering from a mystery illness, I finally had answers; my itchy feet, night sweats, frequent infections, and shooting pain all snapped into place with a cancer diagnosis. I called all of my closest friends and packed my bags. I’d moved 3,000 miles for college, and traveled all the way back home — Los Angeles to Boston — for treatment. Next up would be six months of ABVD chemotherapy, known to be very effective and very unpleasant.

Jeffrey

My name is Jeff Kurowski and I am 35 years old. I have lived with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) for two years and Crohn's disease (CD) for 20 years. I have had three feet of my intestines removed. I now depend on daily bowel suppression medication, monthly B12 shots, biologic therapy for a quality of life, and a daily targeted chemotherapy pill to stay alive.

Kassandra

Exactly a month before my 24th birthday, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As a young adult, hearing the words “you have cancer” come from a physician’s mouth was earth-shattering, to say the least.

Prior to my diagnosis, I had been working in clinical research and was enrolled in a Biomedical Science Master’s program with hopes of continuing to medical school and becoming a physician. However, my career aspirations were placed on hold when I received my diagnosis. Immediately, my dedicated student lifestyle turned into one of a full-time patient.

Amina

I’m 22 years old, and I have stage 3B Hodgkin lymphoma (HL).

Allison

In May of 2020, shortly after the first lockdown for COVID-19, I noticed a small lump on the side of my neck. Living in Southern Indiana during the spring, I usually get allergies from the fields, so I thought I just had a swollen lymph node from that. Considering I was only 15 at the time, the last thing that ever crossed my mind was the possibility of cancer. But after a month, the lymph node had yet to go down and had done the opposite. It slowly progressed and eventually moved to the other side of my neck.

Yolanda

A general doctor’s appointment that included standard bloodwork changed my life in my thirties. I was planning a trip when my doctor came back with news of high protein levels and told me I should find a hematologist. It was when he contacted me twice to see if I found one that brought seriousness to the conversation. I chose a random doctor who told me I had multiple myeloma (MM), gave me a list of the dos and don’ts, and the drug I needed to be placed on.

Dallas

Leukemia, as many of you know, is a cancer. It damages your body to the point where you are so comfortable with death and dying that it becomes an afterthought because in your mind you’ve already died. You see so many of your friends pass away at such a young age that it is devastating to the point where you become extremely emotionally advanced or numb. The resemblance that trauma has with a double-edged sword is that you either skyrocket or hit rock bottom.

Chase Malone

I am a Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor. It took me seven months to build up the courage to share my story, but if my story inspires even just one other patient like myself, I’d be more than grateful.

I was 21 and had just graduated a year early from Florida State University with my finance degree. I moved to Miami to start my dream career in commercial real estate investment finance. I was seemingly on top of the world before tragedy struck.

Paul

Thank you on behalf of the Freeman Wilner Family for this Honored Hero Award in memory of my father, Dr. Freeman Wilner, he was a hero to many.

Michael and Ashlee

Michael and Ashlee have a unique mother-son relationship. They share a podcast about their cancer journey. They have a website and a YouTube channel, and, yes, they even do rap songs about their hospital experiences together.

Christopher

In January 2013, I was diagnosed with PH+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). I had just turned 19 and finished my first semester at the University of Florida. I missed the rest of my freshman year but after eight months in and out of the hospital, I achieved remission and my doctors allowed me to go back to school for the fall.

Dr. Rafael Bejar

I am a physician-scientist with a primary focus on treating and understanding blood cancers like MDS and AML. It's a job I love and one that has given a lot back to me over the years. However, it was also a very unlikely outcome for me. I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay where I lived until I was 5 years old. My parents were both recently minted physicians facing bleak job prospects in a hostile political environment at home who bravely sought out better opportunities abroad for themselves and their two children.

Firefighters and Cancer Risk

Firefighters are at an increased risk of developing cancer. There are steps to take that can reduce that risk.

All firefighters, regardless whether they are career or volunteer, put their own lives at risk to save others in their communities. In addition to the danger of putting out fires, firefighters are at an increased risk for different types of cancer due to the smoke and hazardous chemicals they are exposed to in the line of duty. There have been multiple studies that show this increased risk for cancer.

Steve

Happy Pride! As a member of LLS’s new LGBTQIA+ employee resource group, Prism Alliance, and as staff in the Office of Public Policy (OPP), I’m excited to share my story and highlight OPP’s work as part of LLS’s Pride month celebrations.

Timothy

I am an awardee of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors. I currently hold an associate’s degree in science and am pursuing my bachelor's degree in biology at California State University, San Bernardino, (CSUSB). I am very grateful to be granted this scholarship to help pay for my tuition. In fact, this is the first scholarship I have ever been awarded during my education. These funds are a big stress reliever as it has provided me with the ability to avoid taking out a loan for school and given me peace of mind.

Grace

I’m 15 years old, and I’m a ballerina, Junior Zoo Keeper at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, actress, singer, and I am a childhood leukemia survivor.

When I was five years old, my parents noticed that I was getting a lot more bruises and nose bleeds than usual (even living in New Mexico at the time). My abdomen was really swollen and I was taking frequent naps, which was also alarming to my parents. They took me to an urgent care location near my house where the doctors said that I was fine.

People from three featured stories: Charlie, Ken, and Chloe

A Source of Hope: Understanding Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants

Imagine a community filled with families, friends, and healthcare professionals united to transform the meaning of living with blood cancer. This diverse group of people—including researchers, doctors, care partners, and healthcare teams—are bound together by hope, resilience, and a shared goal: to overcome the challenges and live longer better lives.

Lia

Hi Everyone! My name is Lia Sartorio and I am 21 years old. I am Stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma SURVIVOR! My world was turned upside down on May 6th, 2019, when I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I had been experiencing severe back pain for a few months, and after many unsuccessful chiropractic visits, I was prescribed an MRI. Expecting to see nothing but a pinched nerve, the MRI uncovered that I had abnormal bone marrow in my lower back and pelvis. Within two weeks of my MRI, I underwent a CT Scan, a PET scan, a bone marrow biopsy, and a surgical Lymph Node Biopsy.

Will

I am a cancer mom. I WAS a cancer mom. My youngest son, Will, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) at age 19 in April of 2019. He, his dad, and I were beyond shocked when we heard the news that the swollen lymph nodes that came up out of the blue one March morning were indeed HL. We didn't really know anybody personally that had it. We didn't know what exactly all the words meant at that moment in time, but we knew it wasn't what we had planned for our youngest son.

diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, woman, white, bald, purple top

Jamiee

During COVID, I completed my graduate degree. This was in 2020, and things started to look up. Not only did I become the first member of my family to achieve a graduate degree, I also did it pregnant. I welcomed my second child in 2020, two months after graduation. In 2021, once the world settled a bit, I began to go on a healing journey where I started working on my mental and physical health. It was amazing, I finally began feeling great about myself, had the stamina to enjoy my children, and was in a career I loved.