I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) two years ago at 30 years old, and received a life-saving bone marrow transplant six months later, with my sister being my stem cell donor.
In February 2025, I was experiencing dizziness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. I felt that it wasn’t normal and went to the doctor, who noted that I was anemic (had no prior history of anemia) and ultimately sent me to the ER for a blood transfusion. This was very scary for me since I had never been to the hospital before and also had a fear of needles. A few days later, I went to a hematologist, and they confirmed my diagnosis and told me to go back to the ER immediately. This led to a month-long stay in the hospital, doing chemotherapy among other things such as PICC line installations, bone marrow biopsies, and lumbar punctures. I ended up doing one more round of chemotherapy, two months of immunotherapy, and IVF before getting my stem cell transplant in August 2025.
This was the first time that I truly had to assess what I was leaving behind if something were to happen to me. I also learned to make peace with the fear of the unknown and death.
With that said, I am alive and well and had an amazing support system through it all. My husband, friends, family, and coworkers were with me every step of the way, giving me the confidence that I was going to be okay. My sister/best friend was a full donor match.
I am over a year post-transplant and doing great. Life is still full of appointments right now, but I am able to go to the gym, go on runs with friends, dedicate myself to work, and spend quality time with loved ones. My lifestyle has a new norm, and that’s okay. I think of all the blessings I have received regardless of the hardships.
Kerrie
acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
