Please share your stories below in the comments section!
I'm sure all of you know someone who has had their life turned upside down after a scary diagnosis. I want to hear your stories and fundraise in honor of you, your friends and your family members!
Please share your stories below to help remind us how many people our fundraising can help!
There are so many people with this disease, what a great cause to raise money for.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally, I have known 2 different individuals with Leukemia, and it was a battle to watch them live with the disease every day. Both of my friends were touched by angels and beat the disease. Every day I'm grateful they are still with me, and will continue to raise money in any way I can for such a worthwhile organization.
Caroline Gallagher Cranston was one of the most kind, caring, and energetic people I have ever known. I grew up with Caroline in West Chester, PA and we played together on the same high school soccer and lacrosse teams. Although she was two years younger than me, I always admired her work ethic and her ability to get along with everyone. So, two years after graduating high school, I was thrilled to find out Caroline was coming to my college, Duquesne University, to play lacrosse with me. She was a model student, athlete and friend during the next two year. We shared so many hilarious memories on and off the lacrosse field.
ReplyDeleteAfter college, Caroline went on to marry her high school sweetheart, an amazing man, Adam Cranston. They lived in our hometown of West Chester (a suburb of Philadelphia). Then in 2008, Caroline was unexpectedly diagnosed with Leukemia. It was a shock to everyone that knows her. How could someone who was seemingly so healthy, so full-of-life have such a horrible disease?
Caroline battled the disease with the same strength and positivity she had always shown throughout her whole life. Her optimistic posts on carepages and constant selflessness (always worrying about OTHER people and not herself) was an inspiration for everyone who knew her. Her incredible husband Adam was by her side throughout the whole fight doing whatever was necessary to help her.
Unfortunately, Caroline lost her battle with Leukemia and passed away on May 8, 2010 (about a year and a half after her diagnosis). She was only 26 years old. It's a terrible tragedy that the world lost such an amazing woman at such a young age.
Collectively, we need to work together to find a cure for this disease... to honor all of the men and women who have bravely fought this disease... and to prevent the loss of more lives.
I'm Lisa and I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on July 23, 2010 at the age of 26. My husband and I had been married just over 3 years when I noticed horrible bruises all over my right leg. I thought I was just being my clumsy self, until I saw a giant bruise on my jawbone. I went to the doctor thinking, "hey maybe I need more iron". After 15 vials of blood and 2 hours, I got a phone call telling me I needed to see a specialist. I've known my doctor for 15 years and I asked him, because deep in my heart I knew what was wrong "Is it leukemia?" Yes. It was leukemia. They had a difficult time trying to diagnose the exact type, eventually sending my bone marrow sample all the way to Sweden where the world headquarters for leukemia typing are. Still no definitive answer, but it was most like AML so we proceeded with that course of treatment. Then even worse news, I had a the chromosome defect Monosomy 7 which is so rare they don't have statistics on it. They do know it causes a very high rate of recurrence and that if I only got chemo I had a 5% chance of 1 year survival. My only chance at living was to get a stem cell (or bone marrow) transplant. I was put on the donor list and in November they found a perfect 10/10 match for me and on January 5, 2011 I got my transplant. I'm still bald as can be, but my eyelashes have started growing back and this week, for the first time since I got diagnosed, I get to skip a week with the doctor!! My transplant has been very successful thus far and we'll be doing a bone marrow biopsy in early April to check and see how much of the marrow in my bone is my donors and how much is mine. Hopefully it's mostly hers, because that'll reduce the chance of my leukemia coming back. My family, husband, friends, and God have really helped me to be strong enough to get through this, because it's been the most difficult thing I've ever done. I've spent 6 out of the last 7 months in the hospital with tons of infections and getting chemo. But I'm getting stronger all the time and in a few months I'll have some fuzz on my head and still be leukemia free! LLS has helped a lot with materials, support, and financially. Cancer is really expensive- I went to Walgreens to pick up only 5 of the 20+ meds I have to take and it was $200. I spend close to $1500 a month on meds and doctors fees and parking fees (downtown is expensive!) so LLS has been a blessing. I read all their materials when I first got diagnosed and they really informed me and got me prepared for the fight I had been thrust in to. Here's praying for the day when there is a cure and a 100% survival rate! For now I'll be grateful that with my transplant I'm up to 50% for 5 years! :) But keep hoping and fighting for better!!!
ReplyDeleteIn July of 1997, my father left for a doctor's appointment because he was feeling unusually tired and run down. He knew something was wrong but didn't know what it was. I remember the look on his face when he returned. I could tell something was gravely wrong. He told that he has CLL. He told me that this was a type of Leukemia. I never thought anything could take down a man, 6'8" in stature and with such a love of life. My father fought hard against this disease but passed away from leukemia in December of 1997.
ReplyDeleteMy family and I have been affected by blood cancers as well as so many other loving families. Every 4 minutes someone new is diagnosed with a blood cancer and every 10 minutes someone dies from blood cancer. Despite these truly saddening statistics, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has made tremendous accomplishments in research and new medications to fight blood cancers. Additionally, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has been hard at work for the past 60 years and their efforts have greatly improved patient support.
Today, I do what I can to support these advancements so other families don't lose the people that mean the most to them. I dream of a day when we cure cancer.