By Amanda DeGiorgi Menopause, arthritis, wigs, medical bills, less sex, no sex… sounds more like a retiree’s worst nightmare than my reality as a 29-year-old about to be married. But life rarely goes as planned, and it can take you on a wild ride when you’re least expecting it. Now that surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and … Continued
Family is the most important part of Michelle Nagel’s life. When she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in May 2007, her mind instantly went to her children; all she wanted was to see them grow up and have children of their own. When she learned of her condition, Nagel and her family … Continued
When he was 67 years old, Barry Polsky said “I do” for the first time in his life when he married his wife, Randi. One year later, the retired high school teacher and lifelong baseball fan was offered one of his dream jobs as a tour guide at Fenway Park. And earlier this year, at … Continued
Heather Auger’s oncologist, Patrick Wen, MD, likes to say that his patient has a “famous brain.” For more than a decade after Auger was treated at Dana-Farber for recurrent glioblastoma, the tumor that once threatened her life has not returned. It’s still a rare outcome for patients with this type of brain tumor, but one … Continued
Jerry Jalbert is always up for new adventures. He did not expect that non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) would be one of them, but with the help of CAR T-cell therapy that keeps his cancer at bay, the 73-year-old professional photographer-turned-baker-turned-forest checkpoint operator is continuing to enjoy life’s many journeys alongside his wife, Ethel. “We are not … Continued
Breast cancer survivor Jennifer Perry is at high risk of additional cancers during her lifetime because she carries an inherited the mutation for Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). But experts at the new Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and TP53+ Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute can help her manage that risk. While there is no treatment for LFS — a … Continued
For a seven week stretch in 2018, Steve Kiley began each day with an inspirational quote. It was all part of his morning routine: he’d wake up, get ready for the day, and pull a sticky note off of the giant calendar created by his wife, Becky. The calendar helped Kiley count down his seven … Continued
In May 2018, Tyler Goodwin underwent CAR T-cell therapy for follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). While he was having preparatory chemotherapy for the procedure, a surprise visitor to his hospital bedside provided a powerful reminder of why this promising new cancer treatment was so important to him. “It was my daughter Theresa, all made up for … Continued
Barely a year apart in age, brothers Dave and Mike Winslow have always been close. So when Dave learned that he needed a allogeneic bone marrow transplant due to a blood cancer known as myelofibrosis, it was fitting — and fortuitous — that Mike was the perfect match to be his donor. This fall, most … Continued
A cancer diagnosis can be unsettling, but when Nancy Stamper learned she had multiple myeloma at age 78 in November 2016, it was particularly daunting. Older adults facing cancer and blood disorders have specialized needs due to health and wellness issues inherent to aging, but Stamper — now 81 — has found an ally to … Continued
By Ellen Lori Weisberg, PhD The discovery of a lump came about as the result of a complete accident — a sweeping of my finger past a swelling as I mindlessly adjusted the ribbed shirt I was wearing during an otherwise mundane evening of television watching. My husband, a pediatrician, tried to reassure me that … Continued
When Liz Bowen first learned she would need a stem cell transplant, she had no idea she’d be making history as the first outpatient stem cell transplant patient in New England. Bowen, 55, was diagnosed with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of skin lymphoma, in 2017. Her care team at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center … Continued
At the start of 2016, Amy Ennis was poised to take on the world. She was working as a project manager for Massachusetts’ biggest healthcare provider; she and her husband, Rich, had also recently celebrated their daughter Blakely’s first birthday. So, when Ennis went to the hospital for stomach pains and intense nausea in … Continued
In 2011, Diane Dike, PhD, lost her mother to complications from multiple myeloma — a cancer of the bone marrow involving plasma cells. The pair were always close, and even share the same birthday: October 23. The illness and death of her mother was extremely difficult for the whole family, Dike says. One of the most … Continued
Chloe Svolos is a social butterfly. When she isn’t working in the fundraising office for Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund, the 26-year-old is spending time with family, going out with friends, hanging out with her boyfriend, Luke, or traveling. She also recently completed treatment for lymphoma — so she’s still adjusting to her “new normal.” But in … Continued
Julia Maues was excited to find out she was pregnant — and then she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through chemotherapy and delivered a healthy baby boy, but shortly after the birth, she learned that the cancer had spread throughout her body. She would need lifetime of treatment for metastatic breast cancer. The … Continued
As a fruit and vegetable farmer, Douglas Young measures his life’s work by the seasons. Since receiving a stem cell transplant for his rare blood cancer, he has been able to enjoy more harvests than he once thought possible — inspiring him to seek out the stranger responsible for saving his life. In spring 2019, … Continued
By Luisa Stigol, MD, FAAP I was a 74-year-old pediatrician in practice with a multi-specialty group associated with Boston Children’s Hospital. Forty years after becoming a doctor, I still loved learning new things and sharing them with my patients. Then I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer — and suddenly, a big wall separated me from … Continued
