Fort Worth Light The Night Honored Hero: Cliff Lewis

The Light The Night Walk (LTN) to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) celebrates participants in all stages of a cancer battle - patients, survivors, caregivers, friends and family.  Each year the LTN team selects a couple honored heroes for each walk site to serve as inspiration.

Cliff Lewis is one of the 2017 honored heroes for the Fort Worth Walk.  As you read his story you will see why he was chosen for this honor.  He is the embodiment of what an honored hero should be - determined, optimistic, dedicated, and selfless.

"June 11, 2012, just eleven days after proposing to his now wife and six months after the birth of their first daughter, Cliff was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. The diagnosis came with many challenges along with multiple lumbar punctures, radiation, blood transfusions, and over 200 hours of chemotherapy.

Cliff's journey with LLS Light the Night Walk began in 2012 with the persuasion of his older sister while he was enduring treatment. Watching the support of the local community and caregivers and listening to the moving testimonials of current patients and survivors, it inspired him to dedicate his time and emotions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

Currently, Cliff is celebrating his five year cancerversary with his wife and three kids cancer-free. With the support of donors and volunteers that share the same vision to rid the world of cancer and improve the quality of life for patients and caregivers, we can continue to have more success stories similar to Cliff's."

Inspired by Cliff?  Consider walking alongside him on Sunday, November 5th at the Fort Worth Walk at Panther Island Pavilion. Registration is now open.

#TNTbecause - Meet Robert Mullins

We are continuing our series on the blog with interviewing current Team In Training (TNT) participants. Today we are chatting with Robert Mullins of Tyler.  Robert is a long time volunteer of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  He first got involved after his wife lost her battle to Lymphoma.  Over the years, he has served as the team captain of The Lymphoblasters fundraising team for Light The Night as well as completed several Team In Training fundraising events. He regularly serves as an all star volunteer and representative of TNT at local events around North Texas. 

1. What got you involved with Team In Training?

My late wife, Vanessa Rae Holland Mullins. I made a commitment to her to continue with her journey of finding a cure for blood cancers.  I heard about Team In Training and decided to not only help on her journey but to get myself healthy enough to run my first half marathon.  

2. Finish this sentence, I do "TNTBecause..."

I made a promise to my late wife that if she was to succumb to Lymphoma, then I will do all I can within my power to help find a cure.  TNT was another avenue within LLS that I could continue with her mission and the Society's mission that Someday is Today. 

3. Tell us why you continue to volunteer with TNT.

I continue to volunteer due to the relationships that have been formed with other members and staff.  We are all in this fight together. 

4. What's your favorite TNT memory so far? 

My favorite memory would be participating and finishing my first half marathon rightly named "Hero Thon".  It was held in San Antonio and was organized by LLS and TNT. 

  _____________________________________________________________________________

It's not too late to join the TEAM this season.  Register for an event today.
www.teamintraining.org

Student of the Year Candidate: Edward Vissoni

The 2nd Annual North Texas Student of the Year program boasts a strong class of high school candidates this year.  These students are currently competing in a six-week fundraising campaign to raise funds for and awareness of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  Lamar High School student Edward Vissoni is one of the candidates and introduced himself and discusses why he chose to compete in this campaign this year.

What interested you in applying for Student of the Year?

I am a survivor of stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and personally know what it's like to go through the treatment of a life-threatening disease.  It is only natural for me to want to join the fight so that some day there will be a cure.

What other organizations or extracurricular activities are you involved in?

Besides the Student of the Year campaign, I am also a member of my high school band.

What are you hoping to achieve while participating in this campaign?

I hope that through this competition I will gain experience about what it means to raise money for others and to meet people whose lives have been affected by cancer. 

Where are you planning to go to school next year?

I will be going on a church service trip as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  When I return, I hope to attend University of Texas at Arlington and major in biomedical engineering.

Favorite Quote: 

 "Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we will also be with thee: be of good courage, and do it" - Ezra 10:4

The 2017 Student of the Year Grand Finale will be held on Friday, April 7th at the Renaissance Hotel Dallas.  Tickets and tables are still available for purchase.  Click here to buy tickets and learn more about the campaign and its candidates.

MWOY Candidate: George Meza

George Meza, a blood cancer survivor and member of the North Texas Board of Trustees, is currently fundraising as a candidate of the Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign.  Read below as he introduces himself and why he is so passionate about this campaign.

"I have been supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) since 2006.  My support started by participating in the Society's Team in Training sports endurance program.  Over 10 years I have completed approximately (10) 100 Mile Cycling events, (5) Triathlons (4) Marathons all the while raising over $60,000 for the LLS mission of finding a cure for blood cancers.  Over the last 3 years I have also served on The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Board of Trustees. 

In 2009 I was diagnosed with Follicular B Cell Lymphoma a non-curable blood cancer.  Click on THIS VIDEO  to learn about my cancer journey and how it has enriched my life.   Learn more about me and my fundraising efforts on my MWOY fundraising page."

The North Texas Man & Woman of the Year campaign wraps up with a black tie Grand Finale Gala on Saturday, June 18th.  Reserve your table today.

Man of the Year Candidate: Stuart Boslow

Meet Stuart Boslow.  He is one of the inaugural Man of the Year candidates in North Texas.  He has jump-started his fundraising efforts in this 10-week fundraising blitz by planning a big blowout at The Rustic on April 9th.  Read below to learn about why Stuart is so passionate about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, his upcoming concert and where you can track what else he's doing to raise money.

Name:

Stuart Boslow

Occupation:

Television Executive

Connection to blood cancers:

My partner, Jason, found a lump under his arm in April 2009 and thought nothing of it because he felt fine and was living a healthy, active life.  We watched and waited about a month until he made an appointment to see the doctor and was diagnosed with Stage IV Burkitt’s lymphoma, a very aggressive form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  One year to the day after his diagnosis, Jason passed away on May 28, 2008.  I was 29 years old.  Most of my friends were getting married and having kids and I was dealing with the loss of my loved one.  The experience of being a caregiver changed my life.  I felt completely helpless – I didn’t know what to do, I felt alone without resources geared towards what I was experiencing, and wanted to fight the disease for Jason.  After he passed away I dedicated myself not only to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society because of the resources it provides to patients but also caregivers.

Why do you support LLS:

Because of the courage of Jason in his battle with blood cancer, I wanted to continue that fighting spirit and help others who continue to fight this disease.  For the last six years I have raised money through “Team Jason” for the Light The Night Walk and have raised more than $50,000 with the support of my family and friends.  I know Jason would be proud to know that his legacy is helping other patients who are currently battling a blood cancer.

Campaign Strategy:

I’m hoping to pull out all the stops in a no-holds-barred concert at The Rustic and utilize my friends and family to get a really great group of people together to help me honor Jason’s legacy while listening to great 80s music and raising money in his honor.

Upcoming Fundraising Events to Benefit Your Campaign:

#TBT to the 80’s Concert at The Rustic featuring The Molly Ringwalds, Thurs, Apr 9th - tickets at bit.ly/LLStbt80s

Why Should You be the Man of the Year in North Texas:

My dedication to this cause will continue whether or not I’m crowned ‘Man of the Year’. To me, this is just one more way to support an incredible organization that does amazing things with the money it receives.

Where can people follow your success/events during the campaign:

Twitter (@StewieB) and Instagram (@StewieB80)

Light The Night: Meet Team Smile

The North Texas Light The Night Walks (LTN) are filled with inspiring teams, incredible stories and motivated fundraisers.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) feels that it is important to highlight some of the teams that made a real impact this year.

Team Smile was created by Christine Hopkins, DDS., MS. several years ago.  She organized the team after a close family member was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of lymphoma.  Dr. Hopkins felt that creating a team and fundraising for LLS through the LTN Walk was a way to show her support of her family member's fight.  Below she answers some questions about the event.

Tell us about the team you put together for the 2014 Light The Night Walk?  

Our team is composed of my staff from the office, patients from the office, and other dental colleague and families and friends. We have typically 30 to 40 walkers every year, which we are very proud of.  For our patients, this also serves as a opportunity to get them to be involve in a charity event.  We have patients comment on how nice it is that we have a team and they can just join instead of looking for a team.  As for the office, this is a once a year, charity event that we dedicated to,  It is team bonding and it feels great to work together to fundraise and be involved as a team. 

What was your favorite part (or parts) of the evening?  

The walk is a beautiful event.  It is so beautiful with the lighted lanterns.  My favorite part is that I know that we have support from our family and friends, we have fun, and we support our love ones.  It is just wonderful!  It is also wonderful to see other cancer patients/families who are going through the same things and who had survived.  It gives me hope for my own family.

What would you tell other people considering walking in the Light The Night Walk next year?  

This is the best walk and charity to support.  It is family friendly.  Children can participate with ease.  I love to bring my children, they are 11 and 8.  They love the balloons, and they started walking with me when my youngest was 6.  It is also a great way to get kids involved when they are little, to help them to have a life-long appreciation of doing a good deed for others, and life is not only for themselves.  We live for other people instead of just us. 

Why do you support LLS and its goal of creating a world without blood cancers?  

I do not want any other families to suffer as we do.  It is tough to know that one of your loved one has a disease that is not curable.  Blood cancers affect people of all ages.  We need to stop this.

Light The Night: Meet the Alpha Dogs

The North Texas Light The Night Walks (LTN) are filled with inspiring teams, incredible stories and motivated fundraisers.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) feels that it is important to highlight some of the teams that made a real impact this year.

The Dallas Walk was the first LTN event for Friends and Family Team, the Alpha Dogs.  The team of 7 people registered less than two weeks before the Dallas event and are well on their way to raising more than $5,000 for LLS and its goal to create a world without blood cancers.

Leslie Standlee is the captain of the Alpha Dogs and answers a couple questions about why this team is so motivated to raise money for LLS.

1. Tell us about the team you put together for the 2014 Light The Night Walk.
Our team consisted of family, friends and coworkers.  In our first year it was a small group of us wanting to see what Light The Night was all about and now that we have our bearings, we plan to do early recruitment and grow our team for 2015.

2.  Why did you choose to support LLS through Light The Night?
We chose to support LLS for two important reasons.  My dad (who's mustache has made its triumphant return) and one of my colleagues (and a friend) were both diagnosed with lymphoma within weeks of each other in May.  The Light The Night Walk appealed to us as it showcases survivors and supporters and we are proud and ecstatic to represent both of those groups.

3.  What was your favorite part (or parts) of the evening?
The whole evening was great, but I especially enjoyed seeing all of the lanterns light up to show full support.  I also enjoyed doing some pre-walk carb loading with Olive Garden.  Honestly though, seeing the range in years of survivors was the most special to me, given the newness of the disease in my close circle.  Knowing that my dad and Michele have lots of years in front of them was the best part of that night.

4.  What would you tell other people considering participating in the Light The Night Walk next year?
I would tell other people that they should absolutely do it!  It's for a fantastic cause that not only helps people give people I know a better quality of life, but truly is on the mission to CURE the world of blood cancers.  The event itself is incredibly family friendly, has a unique feel to it from other fun walks and helps support a fantastic cause.

5.  Why do you support LLS and its goal of creating a world without blood cancers?
I double, triple, quadruple support ridding the world of blood cancers because the cause is close to me.  I want my dad to walk be down the aisle and meet his future grandkids, and I want Michele to have at least 50 more years on this planet.

The Alpha Dogs and dozens of other Friends and Family teams, along with corporate teams and sponsors, helped to raise more than $1.3 million in North Texas alone.  Thank you to all who supported the event.

Texas Instruments Gift

Corporate culture is king at Texas Instruments (TI).  The Dallas-based technology company fondly calls its employees TI-ers and strives to create an atmosphere of inclusion, respect, and personal investment among its international workforce.  In late 2003 when Raj Gupta, a popular member of its analog marketing team, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the company took notice and supported him through his personal battle.  Sadly, Gupta lost his personal battle in 2004 and Texas Instruments lost a valued employee and friend.

To honor his memory, TI created the Raj Gupta Marketing Excellence Award which recognizes marketing excellence by analog employees and rewards individual contributions to successful marketing.  In addition to the award, Texas Instruments pledged to make an annual contribution of $10,000 in Raj's name to a Dallas nonprofit cancer organization.

The North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has been a recipient of this generous award every year since 2008.  Texas Instruments directs this donation to the chapter's Patient Access Programs which provide direct financial assistance, education and referral services to blood cancer patients across the North Texas region.

Since 2008, Texas Instruments has given a total of $70,000 to LLS in Gupta's memory.

"Gifts of this kind are truly remarkable," says Patricia Thomson, Executive Director of the North Texas Chapter of LLS.  "Texas Instruments' annual grant is making a real impact in our communities, as we fund cutting-edge blood cancer research, educating medical professionals, and provide co-pay assistance to patients with the most financial need."

LLS provided financial aid to more than 30 thousand people last year and distributed more than one million free educational materials to patients.  In addition to financial support and education, LLS invests heavily in research.  In the last year alone, LLS funded approximately $70 million in research, second only to the United States Government.

LLS is thankful to Texas Instrument and its generous support of LLS.  "Their impact in the North Texas community is real, and is key in helping to find a cure for blood cancers in our lifetime," says Thomson.

Mission Monday: Meet an LLS-Funded Research in Texas

Dr. Larry Kwak The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) spends millions of dollars every year supporting the work of the best and brightest blood cancer researchers around the world. Today we introduce you to Larry Kwak, M.D., Ph.D. of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Kwak's work has been sponsored by LLS since 2011. His focus is in two on two areas: lymphoma and myeloma.  Below he describes his current projects that are showing great promise.

"B cells are a type of white blood cell (called a B lymphocyte) that produces antibodies to identify and neutralize invading pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. The human body has the ability to form millions of different types of B cells each day, and each type has a unique receptor protein (referred to as the B-cell receptor, BCR) on its membrane that will bind to one particular antigen. However B cells can become a tumor just like any other cell. B-cell tumors are known as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In this project we will focus on mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), which is one of the rarest of the NHLs and currently has the worst prognosis of all malignant lymphomas. MCL has also own unique antigen receptors. However, we do not know what antigen is recognized by BCR and what the antigen plays a critical role in the biology and clinical outcome of MCL. We believe that B cells chronically stimulated by antigen through their B-cell receptor is one mechanism for causing MCL. The objective of this proposal is to identify the nature of the proteins that bind and provide signals to the MCL through their B-cell receptor. Furthermore, we will study the biological role of B-cell receptor by using patient tumor in a humanized mouse model. Finally, we will analyze the relationship between molecular features of the BCR/antigen and clinical outcomes. We are particularly well prepared to undertake the proposed research, because we have identified candidate antigens. Our preliminary data suggesting that a self-antigen (unlike bacteria and viruses) could be a potential antigen. Second, we have created a unique humanized mouse model system for primary MCL. It is a mouse model that has biologically functioning patient MCL cells that are transplanted. This is the first human primary MCL animal model and should be useful for the biological and therapeutic research of patient MCL cells. Finally, we have a well-established tissue bank and clinical database which characterizes long-term clinical outcome data on each patient in the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Successful completion of these studies will result in better understanding of the biological and clinical role of the BCR in this disease. This information will be utilized in the development of novel strategies for identifying prognosis markers and for treatment of these lymphomas."

Mission Monday: Mantle Cell Lymphoma Information Session

Mantle Cell Lymphoma:
Understanding Your Treatment Options

Join us for a FREE Telephone/Web Education Program

The latest information for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals

DATE:
Wednesday, June 26, 2013

TIME:
12:00p.m. - 1:00p.m. CST

SPEAKER:

John P. Leonard, MD
The Richard T. Silver Distinguished
      Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology
Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, NY

Ask Dr. Leonard a question during the Q&A session.




WE INVITE YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT:

• Characteristics of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
• Current and emerging therapies for MCL
• The role of clinical trials in the advancement of MCL treatments for patients
• Importance of patient-provider communications in treatment side effects and management

To register by phone, please call (877) 264-4949, ext 2 or visit www.lls.org/programs

Continuing education for nurses and social workers, please visit www.lls.org/professionaled

This educational call is supported by grants from Celgene Corporation and Milennium: The Takeda Oncology Company.

Thankful Thursday: Goodbye Port!

Candice Stinnett, a lymphoma survivor, Team In Training Alum, and North Texas chapter volunteer, celebrated an important milestone this week.  Below, she talks about having her port removed.

Before

"This 5 1/2 year relationship is about to come to an end.  No more stares at this ugly thing protruding out of my chest. No more pat downs at the airport due to not being able to pass through security. No more masseuses getting creeped out.  I kept it in just in case cancer decided to come for another visit. Another step to getting ready for swimsuit season!  Goodbye, port.. No more chemo for you and no more chemo for me."

 

After

"Opened me up and pulled it out."

Congratulations to Candice as she moves forward with her life as a blood cancer survivor!

DID YOU KNOW: 
LLS-funded researchers were instrumental in the creation of the port for the admission of chemotherapy during treatment?  The port is one of many advances LLS has helped further that has been beneficial to the treatment of all cancers. 

Mother's Day Profile: Rhonda Baker

Almost 13 years ago, I was diagnosed with stage II Hodgkin's lymphoma. For the next seven months, illness dominated my life and the lives of my family.　My mother, sister and son were my caregivers, chauffeurs, chefs, Christmas decorators and cheerleaders. Someone was always was available to drive me to my chemo treatments.

My mother desperately wanted to mother me, move in and take care of me.　Both my sister and I thought that would be too hard on her, and probably me too.　She had just turned 80, and we were at that precarious place in life where the children begin to take care of the parent. She did, however, sit by my hospital bed, and, when it was her turn, sit by my side in the chemo infusion room for hours. She was the first one to see the awful wig, and told me I looked pretty. She called me every morning to make sure I was awake (alive, I think), but also to make sure I was alert enough to get to work. Mostly, she just wanted to be with me, and I know she felt helpless that there was not much she could do to help me get better.

　

My sister, being the elder and accustomed to mothering me, came over whenever I wanted fresh sheets, since I didn't have enough strength to make a bed. She often would ask me over for a meal, and made sure everything she fixed was unseasoned to accommodate my chemo burned stomach.　My niece visited me every day during my short hospital stay. She would bring her three year　old and three month old. Holding that baby was better therapy than any medicine.　One of my sister's friends donated a much better wig.　When one of my friends realized I was barely eating, she would leave work early the evening before my chemo, and pick me up for a meal out.　Another friend often would surprise me with homemade chicken soup.　God bless these generous and caring women.

My son and his wife would move in and 'mom sit' for a couple of days following each bi-weekly chemo treatment. They tried to help me eat and sip water (it hurt), would sit with me when I couldn't sleep, and just comfort me with their presence. I cherish the gift of their time and care. It couldn't have been easy.

I became involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) through Light the Night and over the years we have participated in several of the annual events. In 2009, I challenged myself to get off the sidelines and participate in Team in Training, and have since walked five half-marathons - because I can! We are saving lives one mile at a time, whether it's two miles at a Light The Night Walk, or the longer miles of Team In Training events. It is my belief that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society funded the research that discovered and developed the medicines that have prolonged my life and I am incredibly grateful for their mission.

For more than 12 years I have been able to experience so many of life's joys, watch my son continue on his life's journey, and for five years, known the spectacular joy of being Nana to a delightful grandson. I have felt the sorrow of saying goodbye to both my mother and sister, who each in their own way gave so much to me my entire life. I have learned that the challenge of fighting and beating cancer has helped me open doors I would never have noticed, met people who have become fast friends, and especially I have learned to appreciate that every day of life is a precious gift.

If you would like to take time to honor a mother, like Rhonda, in your life please consider making a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this Mother's Day.

Make a donation online

or via mail and a letter of recognition of your gift will be sent to the mother you are honoring with your donation. You are also welcome to mail in a donation to: LLS, Attn: Mother's Day, 8111 LBJ Fwy., Ste 425, Dallas, TX 75251.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day from the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Mother's Day Profile: Dawn Mellon

Mothers don’t get sick.

Mothers take care of the sick.

If you’re not sure, just review the job description.

We do it all. We take care of our children, we take care of our husband, we take care of the house, and we take care of everything and anything that pertains to our family...and pretty much everything else. In fact, God specially equips us with ‘Mother’s Intuition’ because He knows the importance and complexity of our jobs.  But, what happens when someone, like an oncologist, hasn’t read the job description? When they don’t know you can’t be sick because you have two teenagers, a husband, a house and a career all of which need you?

I know what happens…because it happened to me.

The oncologists says, "You have Stage Two Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and you have a 70% chance of surviving."

And, in a split second your life changes, your children’s lives change, your husband’s life changes, your own mother’s life changes.

FOREVER.

Now that I’ve received 100 hours of chemotherapy, dealt with all its horrible side effects, and have been in remission for nearly two years, I can honestly attest that having cancer was more of a life sentence than a death sentence.

While I could write pages and pages worth of reasons to back up this claim, I’ll share just a few.

When my husband and I told our then 12 and 14 year old children I had been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening disease, they were transformed before our eyes. They were no longer naïve and innocent children. They were now exposed to the ‘other side.’

It was ugly. It was hurtful. It was everything from which you shelter your children. Worst of all, not only could I no longer shelter them, I was actually the one removing the shelter and throwing them outside to a horrific world children shouldn’t even know exists.

But, as the shock wore off, and the reality of my illness played out before their eyes, I saw another transformation. I saw God sweep up my children with both hands. Then, ever so gently, I saw Him take one hand and covered them…all the while securing holding them in the other.

I knew they would be taken care of.

And, they were…by countless angels sent in the form of friends and family, some who lived as close as a block away and others who traveled from different parts of the country; all with one objective: to take care of us. They made us meals, ran errands, took my children wherever they needed to be, and most important, showered them with love.

In fact, my children got to experience things some children never have an opportunity to witness: the goodness in people. They saw a community ban together to support a family in their darkest hour.

They saw their father stand by their mother’s side, living out the vow he took 24 years before then: ‘…in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad…" He taught my son what is expected of him as a husband. He taught my daughter what she should expect in a husband.

They saw their grandmother take care of her daughter. Regardless of the fact that I was a grown woman, my mother put everything in her life on hold in order to take care of me. She, clearly, knew the job description.

So, as I reflect on this Mother’s Day, I am filled with gratitude for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who healed me from this awful disease; for my husband whose love and support I couldn’t live without; for my children who bring me incomprehensible joy every day; for my sister and son’s Godmother and for my best friend and daughter’s Godmother, both of whom went above and beyond to care for me and for my family; and for my mother’s whose love is unselfish, unconditional and never ending.

If you would like to take time to honor a mother, like Dawn, in your life please consider making a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this Mother's Day.

Make a donation online

 and a letter of recognition of your gift will be sent to the mother you are honoring with your donation. You are also welcome to mail in a donation to: LLS, Attn: Mother's Day, 8111 LBJ Fwy., Ste 425, Dallas, TX 75251.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day from the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Mother's Day Profile: Candice Stinnett

Being diagnosed with cancer was debilitating in itself… but when it continued to come back after I thought I had conquered it, sometimes, the only thing that kept me fighting was a five-year-old boy who called me momma.

I was 21 years old when I was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My boyfriend at the time (now my husband) and I had a three-year-old son, Jonathan. The cancer recurred after six months in remission. Then, I had an autologous stem cell transplant. On my one-year scan, the cancer was back. Lastly, (third time’s a charm!) I had an allogeneic stem cell transplant from a non-related donor. Recently, I reached my 2 ½ years in remission and ran my first marathon in Paris, France through Team in Training.

People often ask, "How did you talk to your son about it?" He was three when I received my diagnosis and six when I finished treatments. The word cancer was just as common in our house as the word ice cream. When his classmates questioned why I didn’t have hair, he wondered why this was even a question.. Nonchalantly, he would say, "She has cancer." I was his blue eyed, bald and tall momma. When my hair began growing back, it was similar to peach fuzz. Jonathan rubbed the top of my head and said, "Oh, momma, you need to get a haircut." Communication and understanding came naturally. We didn’t make cancer out to be a big scary thing so as a result, our son wasn’t scared. Little did I know that by doing this, I was helping myself more than we helped him. He was my reassurance, my strength, my laughter, my determination, and my cuddle Bunnie (our endearing nickname for him) at a moment’s notice.

In good times and bad, he reminded us that a prayer was all we needed. When my husband’s fingertips would hurt to the touch due to blood cell growth injections, my son’s sweet pat on my chest and kiss on the cheek made the pain subside. Jonathan sang "Just dance, it’s gonna be okay," frequently. Sometimes that was the only thing that made me believe it really was going to be okay. I can never give him back the hours his little body waited in waiting rooms and the countless nights he had sleepovers in the hospital. However, I can give him many more years of his momma. I wouldn’t have fought as hard and I wouldn’t have a goal worth living for – being there when he gets married. God gave me the greatest gift of all, my husband. Together they, God and my husband, gave me the biggest blessing to date, our son. They are the reason I am alive today.

If you would like to take time to honor a mother, like Candice, in your life please consider making a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this Mother's Day.

Make a donation

online and a letter of recognition of your gift will be sent to the mother you are honoring with your donation. You are also welcome to mail in a donation to: LLS, Attn: Mother's Day, 8111 LBJ Fwy., Ste 425, Dallas, TX 75251.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day from the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Mother's Day Profile: Stacey Campbell

It was a beautiful day. I was out working in the garden of our new home, our first home, while my oldest daughter, age 4, was in preschool and my little one, age 2, was napping when my husband uncharacteristically arrived home from work in the early afternoon. He had a swollen lymph node on his neck that he went to the family doctor to check out and we were waiting on results of the x-rays she took earlier that week. He came over to me and asked me to drop what I was doing and come inside to talk. The doctor had called him at work to tell him that the x-ray revealed a tumor in the center of his chest and he should see an oncologist right away.

　

This began a flurry of doctor's appointments, scans, biopsies, surgery to place a mediport in his chest and talk of chemotherapies rendering our chances of a third baby virtually impossible. Doug was diagnosed with a stage IV follicular small B-cell non-Holdgkins lymphoma and it was incurable but very treatable we were told. I cannot even describe the horror of this time, the thoughts of raising my babies alone after being a stay-home mom for several years, living in a state far from home, no family to support us through this trial and having to consider banking sperm if we wanted that third child. What?!? No, if my husband is not going to survive, why would I want another child!

　

The next six months were filled with 4 to 8 hour sessions of chemotherapy, followed by days of my husband unable to do much but grateful he had the strength to get to work most everyday. All household chores--mowing the lawn, taking out garbage, dealing with kids, preparing meals that he would not or could not eat, making appointments, keeping up with insurance claims, paying bills…..everything, EVERYTHING fell to me. Gratefully, our insurance proved to be awesome and his bosses were more than understanding under the circumstances. The kids, what do we tell the kids? How do we explain that Daddy may not be around to see them grow up or tickle them every night or read them bedtime stories? We chose to tell them the truth. We explained that all living things have life cycles just like in the Lion King (thank God for Disney!). Some living things last a long, long time like an elephant and others only briefly, like a butterfly. No one knows when they are born how long their life cycle will be, that is why we need to treat every day as a blessing. Doctors are going to try to help Daddy's cancer go away but the medicine will make him very sick too and he will lose his hair. We will need to work as a team to get through this together. So, Go TEAM Campbell!! They helped Daddy buzz cut his hair before the chemo took it….they thought that was fun. I worked very hard to keep them occupied and in their little routines to minimize the impact of this disease on them. Friends and neighbors helped by taking them to gym class or on play dates for me especially when we had our long days in the infusion room. Doug made it through those first very dark hours with a three year reprieve. In that time, we celebrated our five year wedding anniversary in Hawaii and conceived our third daughter despite the odds.　

Little did we know that the next decade or so of our lives would revolve around this cancer. Eight chemotherapy regimens later, we knew there were no more chances for remission. Thankfully, an amazing man by the name of James Murray, whom we have yet to meet face to face, registered as a marrow donor somewhere in Canada and was Doug's only perfect match. In 2010, Doug got this second chance at a life free from cancer with the hope that he might live long enough to see his girls graduate high school, go to college and one day walk each of them down the aisle at their weddings. The road has been arduous and frightening, but we remain strong and vigilant. People tell us our daughters are the most mature, compassionate, respectful teenagers they have met. There is nothing that makes me prouder as a mother than to hear those words from others about my children. We never hid the truth from them. They were always allowed to ask questions and tell us how they felt. 　None of them have a memory of their Daddy before cancer. Our oldest is a junior in high school now and plans to become a doctor some day, our middle one is a freshman full of character and our little one is 11 and full of spunk. They are so very different and so very amazing. They are what has kept their Daddy pushing through some very hard and deadly days. They are what keeps me looking forward and standing firm determined for cancer not to take its toll on their lives and to reveal the blessings amid the storms so they can see the hand of God at work in sustaining our family along the way.　

For the last 13 years, our family has dedicated time, talents and funds to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to spread the word about their work in blood cancer research and hopes for a cure. We have also registered hundreds of new marrow donors with Be The Match so others may be given the gift of life if their cancer journey leads them there as ours did. What better time than Mother's Day to consider a donation to this worthy cause and help end the plight of blood cancers for families everywhere?　

God bless.

Stacey Campbell

If you would like to take time to honor a mother, like Stacey, in your life please consider making a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this Mother's Day.

Make a donation

online and a letter of recognition of your gift will be sent to the mother you are honoring with your donation. You are also welcome to mail in a donation to: LLS, Attn: Mother's Day, 8111 LBJ Fwy., Ste 425, Dallas, TX 75251.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day from the North Texas Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Thankful Thursday: Advocacy

Take action now.
Make your voice count.

You are cordially invited to join The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for a discussion about the role that grassroots advocates play in finding a cure for blood cancers.  Together, our voices have a powerful impact on legislators that will result in much needed support for blood cancer research and patient care.

SAVE THE DATE:Tuesday, January 15, 2013

2:30-4:30p

Presentations & Town Hall Discussion

Baylor University Medical Center

Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center

10th Floor Conference Center

3410 Worth St.  Dallas, TX 75246

Parking in Garage 4 (off Worth St.)

Vouchers are available for attendees

Feating presentations by:

Scott Riccio, Vice President, LLS Advocacy and External Affairs

Brian Rosen, Vice President, LLS Government Affairs

Jon Hoffman, Manager, LLS Advoacy and Volunteer Engagement

Please RSVP by Tuesday, January 8, 2013 to Kim.Brown@lls.org or (972) 996-5905

What does it mean to be an advocate?

• Make your voice heard
• Communicate with legislators about issues that affect blood cancer patients, family members or caregivers
• Represent blood cancer patients among local healthcare coalitions

Mission Monday: Targeted Therapy Research

TARGETED THERAPY RESEARCH

Discovering the molecular abnormalities that cause particular types of blood cancer has been useful

in diagnosis and risk stratification, and in new “targeted drug” development. LLS-funded

investigators have helped advance molecularly targeted treatments that can selectively kill blood

cancer cells versus normal cells. Many of these new treatments benefit not only blood cancer

patients, but also patients with other diseases. For example:

Gleevec® is FDA-approved for patients of all ages with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and

is also approved for patients with one form of acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), myelodysplastic

syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative disorders and rare forms of stomach and skin cancers.

Related drugs, Sprycel® and Tasigna®, are approved for patients who do not benefit from

Gleevec. One or more of these drugs are also showing promise for patients with various

lymphomas, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and other

cancers, including brain, breast, head-and-neck, lung, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, and

patients with other diseases including Alzheimer’s, asthma and pulmonary hypertension.

Rituxan® was the first FDA-approved, anti-cancer antibody drug, developed for patients with

forms of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It is now also approved for CLL patients and as

a “maintenance” therapy for follicular lymphoma patients, and showing promise for patients with

ALL and after stem cell transplantation. In addition, it is approved for treating patients with

severe rheumatoid arthritis and two other types of autoimmune diseases. A related antibody drug,

Arzerra®, is approved for CLL patients and showing wider promise.

Velcade®, Thalidomid® and Revlimid® are FDA-approved for patients with myeloma and are

also helping some patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and NHL.

Krypolis® was recently

approved for myeloma patients for whom at least two prior therapies were insufficient. One or

more of these drugs are now being tested for patients with T-cell and B-cell forms of lymphoma,

acute leukemias, as well as AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma and brain, breast, colorectal, head-andneck,

kidney, liver, lung, ovarian and prostate cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Istodax®, Zolinza®, Dacogen® and Vidaza® target small chemical, “epigenetic” changes. The

first two drugs are approved for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphomas; the latter drugs are

approved for MDS patients. One or more of these drugs are being tested for patients with ALL,

AML, CML, CLL, myeloma and forms of NHL, after stem cell transplantation, and for patients

with breast, brain, kidney, colorectal, head-and-neck, lung, stomach, prostate and ovarian cancers, melanomas well as sickle cell disease and persistent HIV infections.