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Armaan
In January 2014, Armaan celebrated his 5th birthday. He was tested for anemia a few days later at the urging of his pediatrician as he looked a little pale. Our world was rocked several hours later when the pediatrician called to notify us that Armaan had leukemia.
Armaan was immediately admitted into Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Stanford where he had a PICC line inserted into his arm and started his first round of chemotherapy. He is now in remission although he faces two more years of treatment to help ensure he doesn't relapse.
Miranda
A little over a year ago, I finished a treatment that saved my life and gave me purpose. In October 2016, I was diagnosed with stage IV of Hodgkin lymphoma and was fortunate enough to receive medical care that allowed me to conquer my cancer journey.
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!
Thomas/TJ
This picture is of my brother and my son. Both fought valiantly from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and Hodgkin's lymphoma respectively.
It started in 2009 when my son, Thomas came home from his freshman year in college. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and was treated right away. He went through the regular protocol which lead to the next level and then trial drugs, radiation, and autonomous stem cell transplant.
Tony
It was 40 years ago that Tony was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 2. Back then, the disease wasn't very well understood, and the technologies and treatments didn't have a great deal to offer. It was a rough road, but Tony managed to make it through with the help of his mother and many experimental drugs. He went through chemotherapy, radiation, spinal taps, and hair loss, and at age 12, his doctors couldn't find any trace of leukemia.
Brianna
"He was the king of positivity" is what Dr. McCarthy at Roswell Park said to me the day after my Dad passed away from complications of GVHD or graft-versus-host disease. My Dad was a leader, someone who was always willing to help others, and always had a smile on his face. Not only was I his co-caregiver throughout his cancer journey, but he was also my caregiver during mine.
Amanda
As a popular entertainment anchor on the “Good Day LA” morning show in Los Angeles, Amanda Salas has always kept busy. But after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in June 2019, she has had to refocus all her energy and time on fighting for her life.
Grace
Volunteering for an organization was part of my senior capstone in the Spring of 2021. I wanted to volunteer for an organization that was for the long term and meaningful to me. One of my best friends, who is also my cousin, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2020. I felt so helpless and also didn't know anything about AML, so I turned to LLS to educate myself. LLS is an integral factor and I wanted to do my part. I became a story volunteer, where I had the opportunity to interview and speak with other volunteers and supporters.
Rhonda
In 2012, I was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. I had 10 rounds of radiation and six treatments of chemotherapy (R-Chop). It was a very rough journey, however, by the grace of God, the love of family, and of course, the wonderful doctors and advances in cancer treatments I persevered through.
Peter
I do not aspire to be a hero, I just want other patients to realize that any one of us can have a long life after receiving such a horrible diagnosis. Times may be difficult but anything is possible.
On September 5, 2015, I celebrated the 25th anniversary of my autologous bone marrow transplant for non-Hodgkin lymphoma that took place at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. I want to thank my wife, children, and the many doctors, nurses, and technicians who treated me and continue to look after me in my senior citizen years.
Michelle
I'm Michelle, and I'm a childhood cancer survivor. I'm going to be 43 in a few days. I was 2½ when I had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) through age 5, going through it all. I received experimental chemos and radiations. I was two out of 45 children who lived. The rest died. I have relapsed over six or more times ― two leukemias, and the rest were all different cancers. I recently got tested genetically at O.H.S.U., and I have what they call a mutated gene.
Anne
My story with leukemia began in July 2016 when I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It was four months and 13 days after my wedding to my husband Eddie, and one month to the day after our vow renewal ceremony. What we didn’t realize at the time was that my body had likely been fighting for months. I thought my exhaustion was from wedding planning and running my writing business.
Dianne
When I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a nurse so I could help people. I did become a registered nurse, predominately in critical care settings. So, when you receive a disease diagnosis, you treat the problem…right? Not necessarily I have learned.
I was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). I felt as if I was tumbling down a dark, hot hole. “Not curable, treatable, lifelong”. This is “watch and wait” protocol diagnosis…an overwhelming concept…”watch and worry”, I was told, was another concept.
Katie
I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) on August 1, 2024, just a few weeks after getting engaged during my 31st birthday trip.
Things moved with urgency, and I’m now beginning my second round of treatment this Thursday. My hair is just starting to shed out, so I’m planning to shave it this week. I have six months of chemo to go. I’m praying that my upcoming PET scan looks great so that can stay with the plan.
Stanley
Stanley was only 13 months old when he was diagnosed. He was a happy and healthy baby boy. Showing no previous symptoms or signs of sickness, Stanley was rushed to the ER one late Wednesday night because his parents, Joe and Krissi, thought he might have swallowed something. That was December 16, 2015. By 8p.m.
Lauren
"I am a chronic leukemia-fighting mother of 4 boys and wife. In 2009, I was diagnosed with Essential thrombocythemia (ET). The diagnosis came after having multiple cerebellar strokes caused by a certebral artery dissection and a platelet count of 1.5 million, which is more than 3 times the normal limit. I immediately was told that I would start oral chemo called Hydrea which I would remain on indefinitely or until a cure was found.
Ethan
When I was just under two years old, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). My brother was born just a few days later, and it became an extremely difficult time for my family. Because I was so young, I do not remember most of my treatments that lasted until I was almost five years old. The closest place for treatment was Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, which was a three-hour drive away. Weekend trips to KC became normal, which meant lots of gas money and fast food.
Layla
"Our LLS chapter has been there for us, with support and information that has helped immensely. We've formed a friends and family Ttam for the Light The Night Walk and it feels so rewarding to raise funds to help others who, like Layla, are bravely battling blood cancers." Alecia | Layla's mom
Amanda
My name is Amanda, and I am a stage 4b classical multicellularity Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) survivor. It all started after spring break of my junior year of high school. I was on a ski trip when I noticed my feet were more itchy than normal. I figured it was from the boots. After coming home and realizing it had gotten worse, we went to the pediatrician. She looked at the bruises and scratch marks on my legs and diagnosed me with scabies. I did the whole treatment for that, and obviously, it didn’t work. A week or two later. we went back and had some basic bloodwork done.
Cynthia
Cynthia was on a family vacation in 2015 when she began experiencing back pain so severe that she had to be in a wheelchair for the rest of the trip. When she returned home, Cynthia went to see her doctor who referred her to an oncologist. After several tests, Cynthia was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. She was devastated. Chemotherapy and radiation soon followed, along with horrible side effects, sleepless nights and countless blood transfusions. But Cynthia was not going to let cancer defeat her.
Suesan
During caregiving for my partner, Dil, cancer has acted as a proctor of lessons we would have rather gone without. I have become more aware of accessibility issues because the chemotherapy and radiation treatment combined with overwhelming doses of steroids led to him having spinal fractures which impeded his mobility. Now when we go to a movie, are traveling, or generally getting around, I come armed with a pillow for his chair, he with his cane, an eye trained for impassable curbs or spaces that he can't comfortably navigate.
John
I first got involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) shortly after the passing of my boyfriend, John, in 2020. John "Poochy" fought a very long and hard battle against leukemia that came to an end in August 2020. I was absolutely devastated and lost in a world without my love.
About two weeks later, a friend posted something about an event called Light The Night (LTN) for LLS, so I checked it out and immediately signed up a team of John and my friends for my local LTN event. We raised over $1,000 in less than 24 hours!
Boyd
Greetings from a friend in Canada! I am a two-time blood cancer survivor and marathon runner all because of the love of friends in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)! I had a life saving stem cell transplant from an American Naval Serviceman named Nathan Barnes who was in Japan when he saved my life. (2011-12). My stem cell transplant was May 2012!! A year after my stem cell transplant a friend took me to Alaska and ran a marathon for me with Team in Training! (2013).
Elijah
Diagnosed with ALL in 5th grade, my hopes for a normal and healthy childhood were quickly shattered. The impact on my family began as devastation but has since metamorphosed into restoration, healing, and a closeness beyond this world (bonus, my brother and I have never fought since the day I received the news of my disease).