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Sherry

Last March, my husband Bruce went in for what was supposed to be a "simple" surgery. When the doctor opened him up, she found a mass the size of a honeydew melon (her description to me) wound around his intestines and colon. She essentially did cancer surgery on the spot and removed lymph nodes and the tumor.

Sudha

Sudha Bhatnagar moved from India to Massachusetts in 1979. Shortly after, she met her husband and moved to Pennsylvania. At the time, the company she worked for allowed her to work from home because they were based in Massachusetts. 

Russell

In the tapestry of life, there are moments that test the strength of the human spirit, moments that challenge our resolve and redefine our sense of purpose. For Russell, a Filipino-American music artist and entrepreneur, such a moment arrived six months after marrying the love of his life ― a moment that would alter the course of his life forever.

Madison

On April 23, 2020, at the age of 15, my whole world changed. I got the call that I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) while getting ready for a birthday party. Throughout quarantine, I had to undergo four cycles of chemotherapy and 14 days of radiation consisting of countless days in and out of the hospital. I had allergic reactions to a few of my chemotherapies which caused me to stop breathing, and they happened at least once every cycle which was scary. My hair eventually started falling out in clumps, and the day I had to cut it off was probably when I cried the most.

Raeleigh

We were first sent to Children’s Mercy on January 5 with suspicion of an abscess in her neck. After multiple diagnostic tests, referrals to various medical specialists, and labs drawn, they came to a rheumatologic diagnosis of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA). After three treatments her, symptoms and bloodwork were not improving, thus the medical specialist decided to recommend a bone marrow biopsy.

Jack

On October 19, 2018, after complaining about excruciating pain in his back, we took our 16-year-old son Jack to see the pediatrician. The doctor checked him out and told us to immediately get him to the Children's Hospital of Colorado and go to the 7th floor to see Dr. Maloney. Not paying attention and thinking nothing was wrong, we didn't notice that the 7th floor was the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. We met with doctors, had a blood test done, and they came back with the dreaded words, "Your child has cancer." Specifically, he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Al

I am a four-time cancer "survivor" (not totally comfortable with the term), just grateful to be alive. I was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1997. I had surgery to remove a testicle and radiation as a follow-up. 

Daphne

I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in July 2022 after two years of being sick. I underwent 12 rounds of A+AVD chemotherapy for six months. It was a difficult journey, but I had an amazing oncology team who let me be actively involved in my treatment. I was born disabled and have had a lot of experiences in hospitals. So, I thought I would be prepared for this journey. I was wrong. I was only 24 years old when I got diagnosed and felt like I had my whole life ahead of me. As an advocate for environmental issues, I was used to traveling and working non-stop.

Daron

My cancer journey started back in 2021 during COVID. I worked in EMS as a paramedic. I started noticing that I was losing weight, coughing up blood, hurting continuously, losing my vision, and sleeping 16 hours a day or more while working in the medical field. I knew I was in grave danger. After several months of enduring the symptoms, I went to my primary doctor and was turned away due to them thinking it was TB. I reached out to my employer and was able to be seen by the health department. They ordered an X-ray that showed a very large mass in my chest.

Treatment

It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating patients with myeloma or works in consultation with a myeloma specialist. This type of specialist is usually called a hematologist oncologist.

Your treatment may include one or more of the following therapies:

The International Prognostic Scoring System

Specific factors may affect the prognosis (likely outcome) of MDS, and help doctors determine when to start treatment and how intensive the treatment should be. These factors include:

Your Treatment Team

Oncologists and hematologists are specialists who treat persons with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative diseases. Pediatric hematologist oncologists treat children, adolescents and some young adults who have blood cancers. The oncologist or hematologist-oncologist coordinates a treatment and follow-up plan that involves other doctors as well as nurses, social workers, case managers and nutritionists.

Talking with Family, Friends and Children

Many people find it best to be honest with family and friends. By confiding in loved ones, you give them the chance to offer their support. It's true that some of your relatives or friends may not know what to say or do. But most do want to be supportive.

Consider "appointing" a willing family member or friend to be your "press secretary." He or she can be responsible for regularly letting others know your health status so you can focus on your treatment and recovery.

Possible Treatment Effects

Sperm is made and stored in the testes. Sperm production begins at the onset of puberty and continues throughout the person’s life, although the amount and quality of sperm can naturally decrease with age. Cancer treatment can cause:

Fertility

People in the YA age group can be in many different stages of life. You may have children; you may want children in the future; you may not want children now, but may change your mind; or you may not have given it much thought at all. Cancer treatment can affect fertility in both women and men making it difficult to conceive a child in the future. A cancer diagnosis may require you to think seriously about children.

Not all cancer treatments affect fertility. Your risk depends on several factors, including

Childhood Blood Cancer

Hearing that your child has cancer is terrifying. Today, however, most childhood blood cancer patients can expect to have full and productive lives. Thanks to new and improved therapies, survival rates for childhood blood cancer have improved significantly over the past several decades. In addition, doctors, nurses and researchers continue to search for the causes of childhood leukemia and lymphoma to develop even better treatments and tailor therapies to decrease toxic side effects.

Essential Thrombocythemia

• Is a rare blood disease in which the bone marrow produces too many platelets. High numbers of platelets may lead to a thrombus, a blood clot that forms in a blood vessel.

Lauren

It was last July, and I was just a regular Jersey girl. I was a 41-year-old wife, mother of two, physical therapist assistant just living a regular, normal life, or so I thought. I was just returning from a vacation in Puerto Rico, celebrating my brother's 50th birthday, when I fainted on the plane and had to have an emergency visit upon landing.

Lindsey

On Monday, February 8, I found out that I was pregnant. It was very early, but there it was two lines. On Wednesday, February 10, I told my parents and mother-in-law, and we were all so excited, so excited that on Saturday, just for fun, we went to BuyBuy Baby. On Sunday, February 14, I went to a nice Valentine’s dinner with Ethan, and when we got home, I noticed a tiny drop of blood on my underwear. By Tuesday, I called the doctor because I was still spotting, but everything else was fine, and it wasn’t a lot.

Daniel

My son was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in 1992 at 7 years old. Needless to say, it was a devastating blow to our family, and we were so scared! I had just gone through cancer illnesses with two other members of my family and knew how this diagnosis went. But my son, I never thought in a million years!

Bob

It has been five years since Bob had his stem cell transplant to get him remission from acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but his journey started over seven years ago when he was first diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Jim

Stay focused, stay positive, live as life as normally as you did before diagnosis, and do your best.

Charity

In March of 2021, I was diagnosed officially with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after a blood test and bone marrow biopsy. I had just turned 30 and had my first child in August 2020. My OB/GYN noticed that my platelet and white blood cell counts were way out of the normal range and referred me to a hematologist. I did not go, thinking it is just the stress of my body carrying a baby. After I had my son, I began feeling really bad. I had no energy and had the feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was wrong.

Kennetha

I found out about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) through a peer at Brockport College where I attend the Healthcare Administration BSN program. My peer had many great things to say about LLS and was excited to be a volunteer intern. I'm grateful that I was given the opportunity to reach out to those who experience the life-changing event of having blood cancer and can provide them with the resources and support that LLS offers. I love volunteering for LLS because it helps me fulfill my passion for caring for others and making a difference in people's lives.

Paul

I have had the opportunity to know Paul since he was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma (BL). Paul has an energy that makes it so you will like him instantly and this is exactly what happened. I have had my share of patient's lose their battle over the years so I am very cautious now of who I allow in my bubble. I am certain that even if I had not allowed Paul and his wife Carrie into mine they would have found a way in anyhow. Paul sailed thru R-Chop like a champ. I introduced The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the work that you do for the Cohen's at this time.