Search Results

Aleta

I was diagnosed on August 13, 2013 with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was totally out of the blue. I had been married for just a year at the time of my diagnosis and sadly my husband couldn't handle a wife with cancer and we divorced.

Doug

On July 16, 2014 I had just finished eating out at our local diner. When standing at the register to pay, my defibrillator fired and an ambulance was called. Within two hours of arriving at the emergency room I found out I had leukemia. I had had no symptoms other than the lab work that showed the disease. I was in disbelief when I heard the words "very aggressive form of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)." By the next afternoon I was started on a heavy regiment of arsenic and ATRA chemotherapy treatment.

Lauren

In the fall of 2022, my cousin lost her battle with leukemia. She was the most lovely (a word that makes me think of her) and kind person, and at the memorial service, Kate's sister said Kate had said, "There is nothing better than to be young and to run." This sentiment stuck with me for a long time as I am also a runner, and I started thinking about how I could honor her in my own way. The family had directed those who wished to donate to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), so I researched and discovered Team In Training (TNT).

Joy

My mother, Joy, was diagnosed in 2015 with follicular lymphoma (FL) in her stomach. She went into remission after chemo treatment. Six months later, it came back, this time more aggressive and on the outside of her organs. They did CHOP chemo and then a bone marrow transplant. She went into remission for a second time. Eight months later, she wasn't feeling spectacular, so we took her back to the doctor. She was diagnosed with large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The mass was in her uterus and had grown so fast and massive that it blasted through her bladder.

Carolyn

In November 2014, my daughter Valerie was born. Shortly after, I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection by my doctor and received 3 rounds of antibiotics because it just wasn’t going away. Life was hectic as I learned to care for my newborn and I was getting into a new routine. Some of my lymph nodes became swollen. I was having night sweats. I developed a rash and high fevers.

Kent

When Noah was born in 2005, we were surprised when the doctor told us he had Down syndrome.  Soon after, we were informed about all of the things that Noah wouldn’t or couldn’t do in his lifetime.  We were also given a laundry list of medical problems that he could potentially have.  Two months after he was born, Noah went into heart failure and had open heart surgery to correct four holes in his heart.  This was a tough time but boy did we have more to come and didn’t know it.  He has since had multiple surgeries, tests, studies, etc.  We were told that Noa

Keith

Hi! My name is Keith. I’m currently 37 years old. I was diagnosed on November 6, 2015, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). My wife, Tesia, was proudly serving in our finest Navy at the Pentagon when I received the news. She came home, and I had to deliver the news to her. It was rough; it was scary; it was a blur. I felt like I was on autopilot.

Jason T.

My name is Jason T. Quimby and I am the proud past caregiver of my wife and ALL survivor Susana Moro. In November 2016, my wife, was diagnosed ALL leukemia ph+ and admitted to the Miami Cancer Institute South Miami Campus to start her pediatric chemo protocol. Needless to say that for a forty-something mother of three teenage girls this was a huge personal and family challenge to overcome.

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.

Fundraise for LLS

Fundraise for LLS

Make an impact in the fight to cure cancer.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. LLS does more to advance science and support patients than any other cancer organization.

Join the fight against cancer by participating in one of our fundraising events: Light The Night, Team In Training, Big Climb, Visionaries of The Year, Student Visionaries of The Year, Ski, Scenic Shore, USA BMX, and more.

Lori

Lori’s journey to becoming a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) volunteer began back in 2002 through her own experience with being diagnosed with Myelofibrosis (MF). Lori had just embarked on a new job as a real estate agent to a new home builder when she began to feel extremely tired and have pain in her hands. She chalked up her sickness to a case of the flu; however, after deciding to go to her doctor, he recommended some blood work which came back showing high white counts. Her doctor referred her to an Oncologist who did a bone marrow biopsy.

Landon

My cancer journey began on June 24, 2018. A month before that day, I'd experienced chest pains, night sweats, and shortness of breath. After scheduling a doctor's appointment, my primary physician determined that it was merely an upper respiratory infection. For a week, I took the medicine prescribed by my doctor, hoping that I would soon feel well again. With little to no signs of improvement, I scheduled another appointment for Monday, June 25th. We didn't make it to that appointment, because on June 24th, I lost oxygen and passed out.

Alyssa

From December 2021-January 2022, I had just come off orientation for my new job as a registered nurse. I was working the night shift and just thought I was experiencing the "usual" night shift symptoms. I was ALWAYS tired, had terrible back pain, and had such a shift in my appetite. I went for a physical just to be sure. My bloodwork was normal (slightly elevated WBC but told it could have been from stress at work), and my doctor sent me for physical therapy for my back pain. After going to physical therapy for weeks with no improvement, I noticed a lump on my neck.

Kerry

I’m a 26-year-old woman who never expected my life to change so dramatically. I was living what felt like an ordinary life — working at a school, spending time with friends, and keeping up with my daily routines. But things took an unexpected turn when I started experiencing night sweats. At first, I dismissed it as a cold or something minor, especially since I worked around kids who were always bringing home new germs. However, when the night sweats continued, I became frustrated. I began researching the cause and read that swollen lymph nodes could be a sign of something serious.

Lauren

To be healed by the miracles of modern medicine and prayer was the most profound experience of my life. It is difficult to articulate the gratitude my family and I feel in our hearts for the people who made it so. There is no scenario where I would be here today, writing this account, without the research made possible by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Maggie

My son, Benjamin, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in February 2019 at the age of four. Due to the unique nature of his presentation, he was placed in the VHR (very high risk) category and underwent three and a half years of treatment. My background is in theatre and education, but having just moved to New York, I was not working when Benjamin was diagnosed and was lucky enough to be able to devote 100% of my time to him. I spent his treatment years learning as much as I could about the disease and how I could best care for him.

Henry Jr

I was the longest leukemia patient on G111 at the Cleveland Clinic. I spent 135 days on the floor fighting every day. I was there so long that when they could not find a way to get my numbers back up, we would call it Ground Hog Day. Every day for about a month, nothing would change. Finally they said that they can keep me alive like this for only nine months, and I have used five of them already. It was time for a bone marrow transplant.

Joy

On December 29, 2011, I heard those numbing words “you have cancer.” I was 23 years old, about to turn 24 and my whole world came to a screeching halt. After months of feeling “off,” multiple visits to all kinds of doctors, repeat blood work, scans and biopsies, it was finally determined that I had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Shelley

Twenty years ago I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). My husband, Remi and I were married and just moved to Virginia, where Remi was stationed in the Navy. In the short six weeks we lived there, I never felt 100% and I was at the doctor four times in six weeks. At my last appointment, I requested that they draw my blood. They told me I had mono, my counts were so low, they took me by ambulance to the nearest hospital.

Carol

Meet carol. hodgkin survivor. indiana. Carol was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2010. After being a stay-at-home mom, she went back to school to get her teaching degree and found out she had a grapefruit size tumor in her chest when she was one week away from finishing her student teaching. She put off finding a teaching job for a year while going through six months of chemotherapy. She was able to work as a learning specialist while going through her treatments as she had a very supportive principal.

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.

Joan

In October 2014, I was handing out candy to my neighborhood’s tiny ghouls and goblins, but the scariest thing that Halloween was a phone call from my doctor. My heart pounded as the doctor told me I had myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder in which the bone marrow stops functioning properly. My current MDS diagnosis is refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts. My treatment consists of red blood transfusions and Reblozyl® injections.

Mollie

Although I was a cancer patient many years ago, survivorship is a journey I take every day. Ever since my diagnosis, I’ve spent my free time engaging with the childhood cancer community and learning more about myself.

Fely

Hello, my name is Fely Agustin, I am 38 years old and a mother to two teenagers. One is going to be a freshman in college and another a freshman in high school. I am married to a wonderful husband of almost 17 years. I was diagnosed on May 6, 2015 with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM).

Greysun

Hi! My name is Greysun! I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on March 23, 2011. I was fortunate to get outstanding medical treatment at UNC Children's Hospital and the cancer center. I have been through many rounds of chemo followed by up to six weeks of hospitalization after each one. I have had radiation to my brain followed up by my first bone marrow transplant.