Leukemia

My daughter is now almost five years in remission after battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML) twice - once when she was four and again when she was six. 

Our little Roc was diagnosed with leukemia on June 30. We immediately started treatment at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital on July 1 where Rocco was given a port, bone marrow biopsy, and his first intrathecal chemo treatment. After a 7-day hospital stay, we were able to come home and continue weekly treatments.

I am a physician-scientist with a primary focus on treating and understanding blood cancers like MDS and AML. It's a job I love and one that has given a lot back to me over the years. However, it was also a very unlikely outcome for me. I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay where I lived until I was 5 years old.

As a First Connection volunteer with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for almost two years, I have had the opportunity to connect with patients and survivors to share their stories and experiences while battling this deadly illness. Every day I come across so many touching and courageous stories that inspire me to do more and more to support this cause.

My name is Jaime Fernandez and I am a Clinical Social Worker with UCI Health. I have the pleasure and honor of working with individuals diagnosed with blood cancers. Supporting my patients and their loved ones as they navigate these diagnoses has become my driving force.

A Life Lesson from a Selfless Man

"He was selfless, unbelievably selfless," said Amanda about her father, Andrew. "He did everything for everybody. He worried enough for our family plus more. And never showed it. He worked extremely hard to provide us with everything we could possibly need."

It all began in 2010 after my friend Cara and I ran the LA Marathon. We had already trained on our own for the 26.2 miles race. I thought, “Why not just keep running?” That’s when I found the nonprofit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their fundraising program called Team In Training (TNT)!