Search Results
Rob
My blood cancer story started in 1987 when I was diagnosed and treated for testicular cancer with surgery and chemotherapy. As I progressed to the end of the chemo regimen, my blood counts would not return to normal. A bone marrow biopsy showed that I had developed treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a result of the chemotherapy for the testicular cancer.
Justin
In March 2012, when Justin was in the sixth grade, he started to rapidly lose weight, was experiencing extreme exhaustion and night sweats. After multiple visits to the doctor but no answers, his parents finally took him to the hospital for more intensive testing, including a bone marrow biopsy. One day later they received the shocking diagnosis: acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Rex
In December 2023, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t catch my breath, so my wife called an ambulance. I was taken to a nearby hospital where I was diagnosed with blood cancer, Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), to be exact.
Disease Complications
As myelofibrosis (MF) progresses, complications may arise:
Brauer
Being a recipient of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors is allowing me to continue my education and pursue the life cancer tried to take away from me. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) my freshman year of high school, and one of my biggest fears while in treatment was if I was going to be able to attend college still. I had been dreaming of attending Clemson University and having all the college experiences. I am grateful for the opportunities LLS has given me and the chance to not just survive but thrive after cancer.
Grace
In 2008, my three year old daughter, Grace, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at her three year old doctor (check up) appointment. Grace was categorized as a high-risk case of ALL and underwent two full treatment regimens of chemotherapy spanning over two full years. Grace is now 16 and living a full, energetic life. She has been deemed cured and in the past year was released from her regular oncology checkups. I’ll be participating in her honor.
Written by a family member
Michael
I am a Acute Myeloid Leukemia survivor. I was diagnosed on memorial day of 2018 and thats where my story began. I failed to reach remission on induction chemotherapy but the next round of chemo I received called FLAGIDA put me in remission.
I then was transferred to duke for a stem cell transplant. My first transplant was unsuccessful and my mother stepped in to donate her cells. This second transplant put me in remission and now I'm back doing what I love which is CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting. I also am coaching at my local crossfit gym.
Loriana
In January 2014, award-winning health and fitness journalist, Loriana Hernandez-Aldama was shocked to learn that she had acute myeloid leukemia (AML). She received the diagnosis from her fertility doctor, who she had seen just days before to do a precautionary blood test for an embryo transfer. Instead of planning for a new baby, Loriana had to begin treatment for cancer.
Shortly after her diagnosis, Loriana said goodbye to her two-year-old son and boarded a plane to another state to begin chemotherapy.
Joseph
On May 1, 2021, my son Joseph was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and so our journey began. We were blessed with so much love and support throughout his treatment that we decided to raise money for those less fortunate. We joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Light The Night (LNT) and raised over $17,000. We had over 100 family and friends walking with us, and it was an amazing experience that we will continue to do. Joseph and I are so proud to be part of this organization. Written by family member.
Richard
I’m a two-time acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivor. I was diagnosed in 2018 and completed the 7/3 induction and consolidation then relapsed in 2020 and had a full myeloablative bone marrow transplant on May 4th, 2021, at Penn Med in Philadelphia.
I completed a solo, cross-country road trip the last week of December 2021, (seven months post-transplant) to Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park.
I just returned from exploring and photographing Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and Capitol Reef National Park in Utah (February 2022).
Barron
My name is Barron. I was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in May. I spent 35 days in the hospital and just completed 10 weeks of outpatient chemo. The doctors are very optimistic, and I am in remission right now. What got me through this very challenging journey and still continues to get me through is my faith, my family, my friends, and the support of others! I continue to have a positive attitude every day and know that I will fight this! I’m here to help others in whatever way I can. Thank you so much!
River
I was diagnosed in late February 2023 with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). I had 810,000 white blood cells that were all cancerous. I have made a recovery, but I’m still in the process of recovering. I’ve met amazing people along the way. I have around two years left of treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. I still think of this whole experience as amazing because of all the people I met and all the things I’ve gotten to do such as my Make-A-Wish trip to Nintendo World in Los Angeles.
Follow-Up Care
Click here for information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.
Use the Survivorship Workbook to collect all the important information you need throughout diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care and long-term management of a blood cancer.
D'Nya
D'Nya was six years old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). That day in 2009 was the scariest moment of our lives.
Ethan
Ethan was a typical 3-year-old boy before his diagnosis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Being a typical boy, he would have occasional bruises on his arms or legs from rough playing with his brother. Approximately one month before Ethan's diagnosis, he was noted to have more bruising than normal on his extremities. Two weeks prior, he was also noted to have a limp. He did incur a fall while walking his bicycle around this time, so the symptom was brushed off. However, he continued to have increased bruising, now appearing on his trunk.
Dylan
I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) the summer of 2017, right before the start of my junior year in high school. Due to slow immune recovery after chemotherapy, I experienced many delays in treatment. By spring of the following year, I had a CNS and marrow relapse, requiring me to have a life-saving bone marrow transplant in June of 2018. Following the transplant, my body struggled to produce enough T-cells, which put me in medical isolation for the entirety of my senior year in high school.
Max
Heads or tails? The medical research was clear. Soon after making his way into the world, this beautiful and innocent boy was given the chance of making it to 5 years with the same odds as the flip…of…a…coin. Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) has a 5-year event-free survival rate of 50%. Half of the young children that receive this diagnosis don’t make it. Heads. Or. Tails.
Andrea
In October 2015, my family had just moved to Texas for a new start. I had a new career, and two young boys ― a 2-year-old and a 7-year-old.
I wasn’t feeling well and went to urgent care one day where we discovered my white blood cell count was 113. They sent me straight to the ER where I was all alone because we had no one here yet and couldn’t bring the kids to the hospital. Three days later, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Nik
Hello, my name is Nikolas. I am 16 years old, almost 17, and have been battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for eight years.
LLS Researchers
Partnering for Cures – Our Unique Collaborations Span Continents
Jeannine
I got started with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) when our good friend, Tim Mauro, ran for Man of the Year and my husband, Larry, was his “campaign manager.” Tim’s father-in law, Bob, was battling non Hodgkin lymphoma. Watching them battle with him and seeing everything they did to help was such an inspiration, and seeing how many people were bonded together, raising money to find a cure, was amazing.
Madeline
My daughter is Madeline Conley. On January 7, 2014, three days after her 15th birthday, she was diagnosed with leukemia (AML/MDS). She was a high school cheerleader and cheer coach who was basically ripped out of her normal active life and immediately admitted to the hospital, where she spent the next five months. It was the scariest thing we've ever been through.
Mia
As Mia started her third grade year at elementary school she began complaining of pain in her legs. At first, her mom just thought it was normal growing pains. But then Mia started sleeping a lot more, lost her appetite and just didn’t have her normal level of energy. Mia’s parents, Alma and Ernesto, decided it was time to take her to the doctor.
Starlet
When I was born, I was healthy and hardly ever got sick. Well, when I turned one, I had fevers that would come and go and then my mom started to notice I would limp and bruise easily. My mom decided to take me to the hospital after a persistent fever and the limping and bruising got worse. The doctors then referred us to Valley Children’s where they did blood work on me.
After the results came in my parents heard the words no one ever wants to hear: their one-year-old daughter is now diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Lillian & Jerry
In 2011, our son, Jerry, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at three years old, and he has gone through two bone marrow transplants. Though he has been in remission since 2014, he has developed many other diseases due to the treatment and drugs, such as kidney failure, low vision, a compromised immune system, and heart issues. While Jerry was going through cancer treatment, his little sister, Lillian, was born and grew up to be a vibrant and sweet girl. Yet, in an unimaginable twist of fate, the same devastating cancer diagnosis shattered our hope.