Many of us have been effected by cancer in one way or another, either through our own diagnosis or supporting a family member or friend. It’s not an easy road. Our stories may not be the same but we all have the same goals and that is to support each other any way we can.  As someone living with cancer, and being a part of the cancer community as a patient advocate I’ve met some amazing people. One such person was Karen, also known as Keto Karen. She was passionate about life and helping others, whether through weight loss, healthy eating or cancer support, she was a beacon of light for m ..read more

As a person living with an incurable chronic cancer and as a cancer patient advocate I am always looking for ways to support having our voices heard. I am happy to help support this new initiative taking place called #CANCERWITHASIGN. Details below as posted by The Cancer Collaborative Cancer is no laughing matter, but sometimes, you've just got to find the humour in the chaos. That's why we're inviting cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, advocates, anyone really, to share their wishes, experiences, frustrations, ideas, and even funny quips about their cancer experiences by holding up ..read more

Back in July I wrote a post about some books I thought were worth sharing. They were not specific to CML except one but all worth reading in my opinion. I just recently read this book by Anne McAuley Lopez who is living with CML. I really enjoyed it. If you are curious about what it's like to live with CML this is the one book to read. It can be easily downloaded or purchased through Amazon - Kindle.  We Don't Get to Ring the Bell If you do not have an amazon account or use kindle or kindle app, reach out to me and I may be able to help ..read more

What was the idea behind starting this blog?  I have told this story before but I think it needs to be revisited to understand my thought process. When I was first diagnosed in 2017, I did not feel like I was given a lot of support from my medical team. I spent weeks scouring the internet looking for answers and hoping to find someone else to talk to. I did finally managed to connect with Lisa who runs the Canadian CML Network. She sent me some information and was able to connect me to someone that lived closer to me. I can tell you, that made all the difference to me. So much so ..read more

  What was/is your diagnosis? T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T- ALL). How did you find out you were sick? What led to your diagnosis? I was tired, coughing, and bruising. I thought maybe I had low iron. I went for a blood test. I found out when I went to see the hematologist.  What were your first thoughts when diagnosed? I was in shock...told the doctor I couldn't stay because I didn't have any pjs ? but I was admitted right away. What did your treatment consist of? I did the debate Farber pediatric protocol What is your current medical status?  I've been in remission sin ..read more

Today is World CML Awareness Day. The theme this year is putting a spot light on CML. I cannot think of a better way to help spread awareness than to share this next story.  I am very happy to introduce you to the beautiful and talented Cadence Grace. Her story is remarkable and you can read more on her blog Love and Leukemia. OH! and if you like country music I highly recommend downloading her solo song I'm Not for only $0.99. I'm listening to it right now! Proceeds go to support The Canadian CML Network. What was/is your diagnosis? I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid ..read more

Not only is September blood cancer awareness month but it is also childhood cancer awareness month. I'm very happy to introduce you to Amelia who was diagnosed with blood cancer when she was only 2 1/2 years old.  Her Mom Veronica was nice enough to share only a small part of Amelia's cancer journey with me. They continue to share updates and other stories as well as support organizations that were a great help to them such as LLSC and Candlelighter's by participating in Light the Night Walks and doing bottle drives and more. You can check out her facebook page at Amelia's ALL. The que ..read more

As stated on the Myeloma Canada website -  Every day 11 Canadians are diagnosed with myeloma, yet in spite of it's growing prevalence, the disease remains relatively unknown. To date, there is no cure for myeloma, however advancements in research and treatment are enabling those impacted by myeloma to live better and longer lives than ever before. More research leading to new therapies or new combinations of therapies are required to find a cure. I’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Dickie who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. She is a patient advocate, is involved with Myeloma Can ..read more

According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada’s webpage they are now showing there are 5 main types of blood cancer. There are 137 forms of blood cancer and related disorders that are grouped into one of these 5 types.  I’d like to introduce you to my friend Michelle Burleigh who was diagnosed with a unique subtype of AML called Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). She is a patient advocate, working with several organizations, to help bring awareness to understanding patient experiences within the Canadian Healthcare system. Here is a bit of her story in her own words. If you ..read more

Not only is today the start of blood cancer awareness month but it is also World CLL Awareness Day.  I am pleased to introduce you to Dr. Brian Koffman. Not only is he a Dr. but he was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in 2005.  He has a widely followed BLOG and is the co-founder and chief medical director of the CLL Society. Let's learn a bit more about his personal experience with CLL. How did you find out you were sick? What led to your diagnosis? I noticed when I was showering or brushing my hair that I had some lumps at the back of my neck. I wasn't too ..read more