My championing of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society started in 2009 with my personal successful battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma! Diagnosed on the first of the year, I spent six months in chemotherapy treatments and was given a "complete response" on July 2, 2009 (I guess we tend to avoid the "cure" term).
I consider several elements of my journey to be miraculous. One element - the incredible rapid immediate response to the treatment - tumors were shrinking immediately. After the first few days all cancer symptoms were eliminated. This gave me and my family an incredible boost of courage and helped carry me thru the six months of treatment.
It wasn't until after I was declared cancer free that I learned that elements of my treatment were created based on research funded thru LLS. If not for the work of LLS, I might not be alive today! I continue my annual fund raising and encouragement of others to get involved in the hopes of new approaches that both improve the treatments of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - and other cancers.
I continue to dream for a cancer free world!
Tom Barfield