Episodes - The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast

Join Alicia, Lizette and Edith as they speak with Viviana Onofre about her follicular lymphoma diagnosis that she received in November 2015. On this episode she describes minor signs that she noticed prior to being diagnosed, the importance of patients educating themselves about their diagnosis to help relieve anxiety, asking questions to better understand health insurance to avoid delays in treatment and how her diagnosis has helped her to shift perspective and embrace growth.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Follicular lymphoma
• Treatment for indolent NHL subtypes
• Clinical trials
• Light The Night
• First Connection Program

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• LLS Community
• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Online chats
• Caregiver support
• Support groups
• Advocacy

Support for this episode provided by Epizyme; Genentech; Karyopharm and Pharmacyclics/Janssen.

The post Worrying is Not My Plan: Viviana’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Shella Saint Fleur-Lominy, MD, PhD, a hematologist and physician scientist from NYU Langone Health in New York, New York. Dr. Saint Fleur-Lominy is triple board certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. On this episode, Dr. Saint Fleur-Lominy explains the signs and symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), tests and examinations that are used to detect and diagnose ALL, how ALL is treated and the potential side effects of treatment. Dr. Saint Fluer-Lominy describes when transplant as well as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy may be considered as a treatment option and her excitement for promising new treatments. Dr. Saint Fleur-Lominy shares in great detail about the chromosomal changes for those with in ALL and emphasizes that there is nothing that a patient did to get their ALL diagnosis. She encourages patients to seek support and clarity about their disease so that they are not left feeling like their diagnosis is their fault.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
• Signs and symptoms of ALL
• Types of ALL treatment
• Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy
• Stem Cell transplantation

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• LLS Community

Support for this episode provided by Amgen and Takeda Oncology.

The post How is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Diagnosed and Treated? first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) recognizes the unique issues faced by blood cancer patients and caregivers from the moment of diagnosis throughout survivorship. These include psychosocial and emotional effects such as relationship stress, anxiety, depression, survivor guilt and more, which are further compounded by current events. Increased awareness about mental health and cancer can help patients and caregivers best advocate for treatment that meets the breadth of needs during the cancer journey and beyond. LLS provides education, support and resources that can help.

On this episode, Alicia, Edith and Lizette speak with Dr. Marni Amsellem, a clinical psychologist in private practice, specializing in health psychology, stress, and coping. Join the conversation as Dr. Amsellem explains the effects that social isolation, caused by forced change, can have on a person’s mental health and ways to cope with them. She shares the challenges that many face as a patient and as someone living through today’s coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. She suggests ways to shift perspective as well as shares additional resources that help to address the emotional impact of isolation.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please be

Mentioned on this episode:

• www.smarthealthpsych.com
• American Psychological

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• LLS

The post Coping with the Challenges of Living in Isolation first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

What does the effect of the virus have on blood cancer patients? What are hospitals doing to ensure cancer patients can still get treatment during this pandemic? What makes COVID-19 so different than other viruses? Has there been any progress made regarding treatment for COVID-19? Join us on this episode as Alicia and Lizette speak with Ruben A. Mesa, M.D., FACP who will answer these questions and more. Dr. Mesa is director of the Mays Cancer Center, home to the UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center. Dr. Mesa has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator in more than 70 clinical trials for patients with myeloid disorders and played a lead role in various FDA approvals. Currently, he is a co-principal investigator of the NCI Program Project Grant Funded Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research Consortium, where he co-leads the clinical trial consortium. Listen in as Dr. Mesa details the reality of COVID-19, answers questions that many patients and caregivers are asking, and shares why he is hopeful about the future of this pandemic.

On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thank you to all healthcare workers on the frontlines of battling this virus. Doctors, nurses, researchers, technicians, transporters, EMTs, pharmacists, maintenance and cleaning staff, and everyone who supports patient care are rising to the occasion and caring for our most vulnerable populations.

We will get through this together. Stay safe.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• LLS COVID-19 Patient Financial Aid Program
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Additional LLS support resources:

• World Health Organization
• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• LLS Community
• Additional financial support
• Online Chats
• Caregiver support
• Support groups

The post What Blood Cancer Patients Need to Know About COVID-19 first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Listen in as Alicia and Lizette from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society speak with Bishoy Tadros.  Bishoy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at three years old. As an Egyptian immigrant with many things for his family to consider such as, where the best treatment would be and how to go about relocating, Bishoy describes his journey as a cancer survivor. He explains the challenges he faced both individually and as a family, his turning point which occurred in 2017 at Mile 40 of an IronMan, and what his diagnosis has taught him about overcoming life’s obstacles.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
• Leukemia
• Bishoy Tadros
• Venous

Additional LLS support

• Information

Support for this episode provided by Amgen and Takeda Oncology.

Become a First Connection volunteer! Learn more by calling an LLS Information Specialist at (800) 955-4572, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET or visiting www.LLS.org/InformationSpecialists.

The post Survivor, Author, Athlete & Overcomer: Bishoy’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Oya knew he was sick, but his inclinations were met with people telling him he was a hypochondriac.  Oya recounts the moment in his life when he decided to increase his health insurance after being told by doctors that he was fine for many years prior.  It was during the insurance company’s own testing that they told him something was wrong and instructed him to bring their results of his blood work back to his primary doctor.  Through a series of tests, he later received his myeloma diagnosis.  Listen in as Alicia, Edith and Lizette speak with Oya about the importance of advocating for yourself when something feels ‘off’.  Having been diagnosed in his 40s, Oya shares how he was diagnosed, signs and symptoms he experienced, the effects of his treatment, the importance of open communication with a patient’s healthcare team and the vital role of a caregiver.  He describes the many friendships he has made throughout this journey and the lessons he has learned about life overall.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Myeloma
• Myeloma Link initiative
• Stem cell transplantation with high-dose chemotherapy
• Dental and Oral Complications of Cancer Treatment Facts
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program
• Myeloma booklets
• Oya and Tim’s podcast

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Information

Support for this episode provided by Amgen.

The post Moving Forward with Myeloma: Oya’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

When you think about a pediatric patient, they are not a child living in a vacuum. They are part of a very complex system that is suddenly impacted by a cancer diagnosis. Psychosocial care helps to address every piece of that complicated system to successfully get patients the treatment that they need. Join Alicia and Lizette from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), as they speak with pediatric oncology social worker, Chelsea Keeler, from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Chelsea provides services to patients and families to help optimize functioning, such as psychosocial assessments, supportive counseling around disease diagnosis, coping, decision-making, and connection to community resources as needed. On this episode, they’ll discuss the growing field of psychosocial care for pediatric patients, how psychosocial care differs between children and young adult populations, advancements in technology that have improved how support is provided around the world and the role of a psychosocial team and their relationship with patients and families.

Mentioned

• Childhood Blood Cancer
• Young Adults
• Long-Term And Late Effects Of Treatment For Childhood Cancer Survivors
• Follow-Up Care For Childhood Cancer Survivors
• Childhood Blood Cancer Facts and Statistics

Additional

• Understanding the Emotional Effects of Cancer
• Psycho-Oncology: Caring for Body & Mind
• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Online chats
• Caregiver support
• LLS Community
• Support groups

Become a First Connection volunteer! Learn more by calling an LLS Information Specialist at (800) 955-4572, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET or visiting www.LLS.org/InformationSpecialists.

The post How Will My Child’s Cancer Diagnosis Impact Their Emotions? first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

One of the most important reasons to seek a second opinion is to protect yourself from misdiagnosis. Researchers have found that the rates of misdiagnosis and mistreatment are higher than you might suspect. Join Alicia and Lizette from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), as they speak with Dr. Pallawi Torka, Assistant Professor of Oncology and Co-Program Director of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer in Buffalo, NY. Dr. Torka speaks about the importance of a second opinion, red flags that may indicate when a second opinion should be considered and how to approach this sometimes uncomfortable topic with your healthcare team.

Please comment below as we’d love to hear your feedback on this episode. Also, be sure to subscribe today to be notified of our next episode.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Getting a Second Opinion
• World Health Organization
• Clinical Trials
• Making Treatment Decisions
• Understanding Different Types of Treatments
• “A Bright Future for Hodgkin Lymphoma”

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Online chats
• Caregiver support
• LLS Community
• Support groups

The post The Value of a Second Opinion first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

They say hindsight is always 20/20. Looking back, Tim Card remembers how his body may have been sending signals that something was wrong, but how he often attributed them to his active and busy lifestyle. Tim received his shocking lymphoma diagnosis after logging onto his medical portal, while awaiting test results. Tim is Penn State Cancer Institute’s first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) t-cell therapy recipient, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma survivor and a father of 7. On this episode, Tim describes how he was diagnosed, when CAR T-cell therapy was introduced as a treatment option, side effects he experienced after CAR T-cell therapy, the importance of caregivers, and how humor helped him during the most challenging time of his life.

Please leave comment letting us know how you like the episode. Be sure to check out our other episodes about CAR T-cell therapy.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy
• Tim and Oya’s podcast

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy Facts
• CAR T-Cell Therapy Process
• Videos about CAR T-cell therapy
• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Online chats
• Caregiver support
• LLS Community
• Support groups

Support for this episode provided by Allogene Therapeutics: Bristol Myers Squibb; CRISPR Therapeutics; Kite, A Gilead Company, and Novartis.

The post “The Only Way Through It, Is Through It”: Tim Card’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Did you know that if somebody is eligible for Medicaid and also eligible for COBRA coverage, some states may actually pay their private COBRA premium? Learn about this and more as Alicia and Lizette chat with Monica Bryant and ask her questions that many of you have asked! Monica is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer for Triage Cancer, a national non-profit organization that provides education on the practical and legal issues that may impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers, through events, materials and resources. Topics on this episode include: the difference between Medicare and Medicaid, Medigap plans, laws surrounding debt collectors, understanding deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, COBRA, employment rights, appealing a denial notice from a health insurance company and more.

Please let us know what you thought about this episode by commenting below! Thanks for listening!

Mentioned on this episode:

• Cancer resources, guides and more (offered by Triage Cancer)
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Triage Cancer
• COBRA
• Triagecancer.org/statelaws
• Healthcare.gov  
• HIPP program

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• LLS Community
• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Online chats
• Caregiver support
• Support groups
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program

The post Monica Answers YOUR Questions About Cancer and the Law first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.