Leukemia

To say that I have always been daddy's little girl would be the biggest understatement. Everything from school dances to projects in the garage, I could always be found by my dad's side. In 2009, my dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2008. For a year, I was in the “watch and wait” category with no treatment until the disease progressed. In April 2009 I progressed to “active disease” and began treatments followed by an autologous stem cell transplant in January 2010.

A Pioneering Researcher Developing Targeted Therapies for Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma

In February 2015, my daughter Danielle was diagnosed with leukemia. She was 25 years old, and a professional dancer out on tour in Detroit when I got the call no mom ever wants to hear. She said, "Mom are you sitting down? The doctor says I have leukemia". Just typing this makes my heart sink.

I endured poor-prognosis acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple rounds of brutal chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and an open heart surgery - all for only a small chance of survival. The journey since has been more than difficult. Lingering effects of the lifesaving treatments seem endless.