Search Results

Keyla

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) three years ago at age 25. I started feeling pain in my neck when I drank alcohol, and then I started noticing my neck lymph nodes getting pretty big. After multiple blood tests, CT scans, and a biopsy of the neck, I was diagnosed with HL. I had to undergo 12 rounds of chemotherapy in total. I was so scared of all of the symptoms ― nausea and my hair falling out (but thankfully, my hair didn’t fully fall out, so I didn’t have to shave it, which was the least of my problems).

Jennifer

Jennifer has had a long journey with blood cancer but things are finally looking up. It started with a lump on her neck in 2009 that was diagnosed as Hodgkin lymphoma stage 2. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation seemed to work. Then in 2011 a routine PET scan showed a spot on her chest. It was back. A stem cell transplant (using her own cells) got her through that time. But two years later, in 2013, another routine pet scan revealed another spot on her chest near her heart, and it was back for more surgery.

Side Effects

Cancer therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) can sometimes produce side effects. For most patients, treatment side effects are temporary and go away once therapy ends. For other patients, side effects can be more severe, sometimes requiring hospitalization. Some patients never have side effects.

Before you undergo treatment, talk with your doctor about potential side effects. In recent years, new drugs and other therapies have increased the ability to control side effects.

Amina

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

Amrita

November 2007 was the start of my journey as a cancer warrior and survivor. I was diagnosed with Diffused Large B cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) and it is incredible for me to reflect on the fact that I am coming up on my 15th year anniversary of diagnosis and treatment. I do hear and read powerful stories of other survivors and in so many ways I think my journey with and after cancer diagnosis resonates with those.

Don

In January of 2016, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). He was unresponsive to treatment. He went into remission, but it quickly came back. The clinic said they couldn’t do anything more, so he was referred to the University of Minnesota for a clinical trial. The treatment included me, as his daughter, donating my T-cells. The clinical trial was helpful but didn’t get the results he needed, and cancer came back.

Shushan

Jessica

Last spring, I was a normal college junior. I had just returned from spring break in the Caribbean with my best friends, and my biggest problem was party planning my 21st birthday that was coming up.

I had a bump on my neck for a few months at that point. I visited several doctors who all assured me it was just a normal swollen lymph node and nothing to be concerned about. My family decided to fly me home for a weekend to get checked out by my pediatrician who we trust. My pediatrician took the lead for further testing.

Aiden

I am writing to share about my son, Aiden, who is our real superhero and has superpowers that shine bright through his love of dance. From a very young age, we considered Aiden to be our gifted child. He has a free spirit and loves to connect with the world and others in it. His parents have taught him to "dream big" and "reach for the stars" and he can do whatever he puts his mind to.

Mary

I was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) on April 3, 2023.

I had just gotten married in June 2022, and my husband and I were ready to start a family and our life together. I turned 40 years old in July 2022, so I scheduled my first mammogram. My OBGYN wrote a prescription for a sonogram as well considering I have dense breasts. I would have never realized that I needed both if I had not been advised. My cancer would not have been detected with just a mammogram.

Jennifer

I remember diagnosis clearly. I was sitting in the UCSF doctor’s office of a man I had not met before a physician I was referred to. I had first gone to a doctor on my Blue Cross Insurance list, a Russian woman who said the word “lymphoma.” I was hoping the foreign word would continue to be foreign. She gave me a referral to UCSF on Fillmore Street in San Francisco close to where I was living at the time.

Mark

At the age of 18, my dad, Mark Brightbill, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent chemo and radiation.  The Tuesday after my now husband and I got engaged, he was diagnosed with nodular LP Hodgkin lymphoma (after 30 years in remission).

Eli

March 16, 2013. I will never forget the moment I first saw the bump. We went to the pediatrician that afternoon. Our doctor looked at Eli and said “Don’t worry. This is not cancer.” A month later we were in for a checkup and a doctor suggested that we should have Riley Hospital take a look. We got into Riley in May and they told us that we would need to do a MRI. I will never forget how we heard over and over “these things are rarely cancer.” After MRI’s and ultrasounds they decided to remove it. This was August -- six months after I had first brought it to their attention.

Amy

My story begins on Christmas Eve 2008.  My daughter was a 8th grader and was singing her first solo during Christmas Eve mass.  I was sick!

Larry

Larry Loose, a great big bear of a man with a penchant for classic cars, off road racing, dirt bikes and living large. This man, my husband of twenty five years, had worked 12-hour days for decades in hopes of being able to retire early, move to the desert and spend our later years as snowbirds in beautiful Arizona.

Jason

From an early age, Jason Wexler showed an interest in curing cancer and would even make "potions," according to his mother, Sherri. An extrovert like his father, Kevin, Jason has always liked making a difference for others and has great ideas to share.

When he turned sixteen, the sophomore at The Grauer School in Encinitas knew he wanted to do something to help give back. Jason learned about the "Students of the Year" program for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and knew he had to get involved.

Kimberlee

On December 29, 2023, my life took an unexpected turn. My family and I were traveling to California for the holidays when, during takeoff back to Georgia, I felt a sudden pop in my chest as the cabin pressure changed. I was immediately struck by intense pain, unable to move or catch my breath. Determined to hold on until we landed, I braced myself through the agony.

ALL Subtypes

Doctors classify acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) into subtypes by using various tests. It's important to get an accurate diagnosis since your subtype plays a large part in deciding the type of treatment you'll receive. Depending on your ALL subtype, the doctor will determine

Finances and Insurance Coverage

Healthcare costs are a key concern for most people with blood cancer. Many patients don't have health insurance, and for others, coverage is limited. If you have health insurance, it's essential that you know what your plan covers and how to maintain your benefits. 

You and your family will need to decide how to pay for treatment while managing household finances. You probably also need to consider additional indirect costs, such as lost time from work, childcare and travel expenses.

End-of-Life Care

Awareness and discussion of end-of-life issues is an important aspect of care for any serious illness and helps improve quality of life. Talk to your child’s healthcare team about treatment goals and any concerns you have related to prognosis, treatment outcomes and end-of-life care.

Clinical Trials

Taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice for some MDS patients. Clinical trials are under way for all MDS-risk types. Today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. LLS continues to invest funds in MDS research.

Click here to read more about clinical trials.  

Keana

Hello, my name is Keana. I am 26 years old, and I was born in Columbus Ohio. I was born with a rare heart condition called “hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.” It is a hereditary disease on my mother’s side. Many family members, including my mother, have passed away from the disease, and the other half received heart transplants, which is what led to me. I recently got my heart transplant in September 2021 and was admitted to the hospital for three months, one before and two after. After my heart transplant, I came in contact with COVID.

Lauren

My husband, Frank, was a 40-year-old, hard-working family man and the sole provider for me and our two children when his world was turned upside down by a routine blood test showing he had acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This was a nightmare for all. He had to be admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital for five weeks where he received chemotherapy and ended up in the ICU with sepsis, heart failure, and organ damage. We were not sure if he was ever going to get out of there, but he became strong enough for his bone marrow transplant and had that in October.

Sherri

I have donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for many years. This year I wanted to do more in honor and loving memory of my dad, Frederick. 

Luis

I used to donate blood at least three times a year. I did it as a way of helping others and never realized it would one day lead to me being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. But that’s exactly what happened in 2006, when a case of anemia kept me from donating blood that year.