Search Results
Charles
In June 2018, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) while living in Italy. I was shocked. After six months of mysterious rashes and illnesses, the pieces finally came together at a walk-in clinic off Piazza di Spagna. Sounds romantic, huh? It wasn’t.
Volunteer
It all began in 2010 after my friend Cara and I ran the LA Marathon. We had already trained on our own for the 26.2 miles race. I thought, “Why not just keep running?” That’s when I found the nonprofit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their fundraising program called Team In Training (TNT)! TNT was the only program you could volunteer with to get a secured race entry into the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon. So, I registered for an informational meeting at the mall near my parents' house, listened to the staff and coaches, as well as a survivor, and I was hooked.
Cayden
In April 2020, three-year-old Cayden began experiencing leg pain and developed an unusual limp that alarmed his mother, Courtney. Soon, the pain progressed to a stiff neck and loss of appetite. Just two weeks later, after multiple tests and doctor appointments, Courtney and her husband would hear the words that every parent fears, "your child has cancer". Cayden was diagnosed with a high-risk form of blood cancer, Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Toben
Toben had entered preschool at 3½ years old, and within a few months, he was getting sick often. He started getting random fevers that would go away in a day. When he got leg and arm pains, we started to get concerned. The pains were so bad that he couldn't walk and would wince when we picked him up or moved him. At his four-year check-up, he wasn't showing any signs or symptoms, so we chalked it up to growing pains. Most of the summer he was fine, but by the end of July, the symptoms were stronger and lasted longer and longer.
Brenda
A scratchy throat that became a bronchial infection in May 2012 was the first sign Brenda had that anything was wrong. She tried to tough it out but collapsed while taking her long-awaited test for a black belt in karate. Later that same day she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the same disease that had taken her brother 17 years earlier.
Skin and Nails
SkinSkin-related side effects from cancer treatment include:
- Dry skin
- Redness
- Itchiness
- Skin lesions
Tell your doctor about any changes to your skin. Your doctor can recommend or prescribe appropriate treatment, including topical solutions (creams, lotions or gels) to soothe your skin or relieve itching.
Tell you doctor immediately if you notice:
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.
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.
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!
Chrystal
I was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in June 1991, about a month shy of my 21st birthday. I was in school for cosmetology, had just signed divorce papers from my first husband and was dating the man who would become my second husband. Life was great for me.
Tim
I knew multiple myeloma (MM) was a blood cancer. After all, my mom was diagnosed with myeloma at 62 years old in 2005. It’s extremely rare that I should also be diagnosed in 2021, but it happened. There’s no strong data that shows that it’s hereditary at this point. But more doctors are seeing family members being diagnosed. It's also becoming one of the most diagnosed cancers among African Americans.
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.
A Starting Place to Prioritize Your Mental Health
Coping with a blood cancer diagnosis and the whirlwind of experiences that follows can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining for everyone impacted by it.
Whether you're a patient or caregiver, you begin to realize your life will never be the same.
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.
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).
Joshua
In May of 2016 my husband Josh was experiencing abdominal pains. He was so sick with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. He went to see his doctor and was told it was probably a stomach bug but then it continued to get worse. He went back a couple of days later and they did an MRI. On June 2, 2016 we got the results from the MRI and he had a bowel blockage then there showed signs of cancer. After a couple of days of him being in the hospital treating the bowel blockage we finally were told a diagnosis. The cancer Josh had was rare, extramedullary acute myeloid sarcoma.
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.
Bill
My name is Bill Bannon. I am a semi-retired child support magistrate for the Minnesota State Courts. In April 2017 I experienced shortness of breath, a sore-throat and bleeding gums. I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), was stabilized, and started on intensive chemotherapy. It was soon learned that I had a FLT-3 mutation of this cancer, the most serious and difficult to treat. The only possibility for any chance at survival was a bone marrow or umbilical stem cell transplant (BMT). I chose to continue my treatment at the University of Minnesota.
Reginé
I thought it was 'just another torn meniscus' back in the fall of 2019. The symptoms and signs all seemed too familiar and I just knew I'd have to get my meniscus repaired again, but this time in my left knee. After following through similar protocol in preparation to meet with the orthopedic doctor, upon my doctor's visit I was told my knee could not be further evaluated until deeper investigation by another physician: a musculoskeletal oncologist.
Avi
My journey began a few months into 2020. I was making plans to celebrate my birthday by going to some amusement parks I hadn't been to in many years. Unfortunately, that's when the pandemic hit, and going to the parks was no longer an option. A few months later, I started to get sick. Fever, night sweats, little to no appetite, weight loss. We didn't know if it was COVID-19 or not. I went to urgent care, and they didn't help (sent me home with Tylenol), and I was still not feeling it. I went to get bloodwork as something was off and I was starting to show signs of jaundice.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia 3D Model
.model-icon-key-mobile{ display:none;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { .model-icon-key-desktop{ display: none;} .model-icon-key-mobile{ display: block;} }This model contains the following chapters. Click the "Interact in 3D" button to begin.
- Healthy Bone Marrow
- Normal Blood Cell Production
- Proliferation of Cells and the Crowding Out of Normal Cells
- Signs and Symptoms
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia 3D Model
.model-icon-key-mobile{ display:none;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { .model-icon-key-desktop{ display: none;} .model-icon-key-mobile{ display: block;} }This model contains the following chapters. Click the "Interact in 3D" button to begin.
- Healthy Bone Marrow
- Normal Blood Cell Production
- Proliferation of Cells and the Crowding Out of Normal Cells
- Signs and Symptoms
Myelodysplastic Syndromes 3D Model
.model-icon-key-mobile{ display:none;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { .model-icon-key-desktop{ display: none;} .model-icon-key-mobile{ display: block;} }This model contains the following chapters. Click the "Interact in 3D" button to begin.
- Healthy Bone Marrow
- Normal Blood Cell Production
- Proliferation of Cells and the Crowding Out of Normal Cells
- Signs and Symptoms
Acute Myeloid Leukemia 3D Model
.model-icon-key-mobile{ display:none;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { .model-icon-key-desktop{ display: none;} .model-icon-key-mobile{ display: block;} }This model contains the following chapters. Click the "Interact in 3D" button to begin.
- Healthy Bone Marrow
- Normal Blood Cell Production
- Proliferation of Cells and the Crowding Out of Normal Cells
- Signs and Symptoms