Episodes - The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast

Eating a well-balanced diet is important, especially with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma. A proper diet during and after cancer treatment can help you feel better, maintain your strength, and positively impact recovery time. Listen in as Alicia and Lizette speak with Gina DeLuca. Gina is an Outpatient Oncology Dietitian for the Center for Cancer Care at NYU Winthrop Hospital. There, she provides individual nutrition counseling and group nutrition education presentations to patients during all phases of oncology care including prevention, treatment and survivorship. On this episode, Gina shares the types of foods that may benefit a myeloma patient and the types of food that they should avoid. Gina also explains why vitamin supplementation should be discussed thoroughly with a patient’s healthcare team, the link between myeloma and obesity, the truth about sugar and its relation to cancer, what foods can potentially interfere with treatment and useful resources for patients and their families.

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 in this episode:

• One-on-one nutrition consultation
• Food and Nutrition Fact Sheet
• LLS Blood Cancer Conferences
• Environmental Working Group
• Clean 15
• Dirty Dozen
• Foodsafety.gov
• American Cancer Society
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Oncologynutrition.org
• American Institute for Cancer Research
• National Cancer Institute
• Eating Hints: Before, during and after Cancer Treatment

Additional LLS Support Resources:

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

Support for this episode provided by Amgen and Takeda.

The post Diagnosed with Myeloma: What Should I Eat? first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Listen in as Alicia and Lizette speak with Casey Biltz Marsh. Casey is a high school mathematics teacher and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivor. With Spring Break approaching, Casey noticed her increasing fatigue however, attributed it to the demands of a high school teacher during that time. Casey realized something was very wrong when she attended a Garth Brooks concert with ‘standing room only’ tickets and found herself paying a nearby shoe shine station multiple times just to get off her feet. Join the conversation as Casey describes how her life changed after her fourth visit to Urgent Care. She shares how she was diagnosed with AML, how she prepared for and recovered from her stem cell transplant, the importance of asking questions and maintaining a positive mindset even during the roughest times.  

Mentioned on this episode:

• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• Treatment for AML
• Beat AML Master Trial
• Stem Cell Transplantation
• Light The Night
• Volunteering at LLS

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Young adult videos
• 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 Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

The post Still Sparkling After AML: Casey’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Listen in as Alicia speaks with Jason Khalipa. Jason is a devoted father, world champion, and global businessman.  Jason is a force of nature in the fitness world whose life was turned upside down when his daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2016 at the age of 4.  Jason and his wife, Ashley, dedicated themselves to the fight armed with a positive mindset and an emphasis on physical and mental strength. Join Jason and Alicia as he shares more about how Ava was diagnosed, what their cancer journey taught him not only as a person, but as a father, and how his passion for fitness helped him remain strong and disciplined throughout this new journey. 

Mentioned on this episode:

• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
• Leukemia
• The Emperor of All Maladies
• LLS Community
• Ava’s Kitchen
• JasonKhalipa.com
• Jason Khalipa Instagram
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program

Additional LLS support resources:

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

Support for this episode provided by Amgen and Takeda Oncology.

The post Training for the Unknown: Jason’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Mirinda

David

Alejandro

To kick off Caregiver Awareness Month, we invite you to join the conversation as we chat with three caregivers! Listen in as Alicia and Lizette speak with Mirinda, David and Alejandro about their varying caregiving roles. Mirinda, David and Alejandro will share how their loved ones’ acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis impacted their own lives. On this episode, they describe the changes they went through, where they found support, how they navigated insurance, what they learned about themselves and helpful advice for other caregivers.

We encourage you to share this episode and comment below to let us know how you liked this episode. Thanks for listening!

Download Transcript

The post A Conversation with Caregivers first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Listen in as Alicia and Lizette speak with Alan Kraimer. Alan is an acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivor who owns a small medical supply distribution company in Georgia. In 2014, what Alan and doctors believed to be strep throat soon proved to be otherwise. It was not until his third visit to Urgent Care that he was referred to a hematologist in which he received his leukemia diagnosis. Join Alan, Alicia and Lizette as Alan shares how he was diagnosed, questions he had for his healthcare team, the important role his wife played as his caregiver, and how he learned about an interesting new treatment for his dry eyes called autologous serum drops.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Mentioned on this episode:

• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
• Leukemia
• Stem cell transplant
• Autologous serum eye drops
• Side effects
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program

Additional LLS support resources:

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

Support for this episode provided by Amgen and Takeda Oncology.

The post My ALL Diagnosis: Alan’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Listen in as Alicia and Lizette speak with Stan Friedman. Stan is a trial lawyer and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) survivor from Savannah, Georgia. After receiving abnormal lab work and noticing swollen lymph nodes that his doctor pointed out, Stan was referred to a hematologist/oncologist for a bone marrow biopsy. Join them as Stan describes how he was diagnosed, the initial questions he asked his healthcare team, side effects that were both common and uncommon, the importance of support from those around him, and how he is doing five years later.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Mentioned on this episode:

Additional LLS support resources:

Support for this episode provided by AstraZeneca.

The post My MCL Diagnosis: Stan’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

On this episode, Alicia and Lizette speak with Chuck Colletti, a two-time survivor of Stage 4 follicular lymphoma. Chuck was diagnosed in early 2016 when he underwent 7 months of chemotherapy which put his cancer into temporary remission. Unfortunately, 7 months later, it returned in a more aggressive form. With options dwindling, he was accepted into a CAR T-cell therapy clinical trial. Listen in as he describes how this therapy impacted his life both emotionally and physically, the side effects he experienced and the hope he has in this therapy’s ability to save many more lives.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Mentioned on this episode:

• Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy
• www.collettisurvivorsquad.org
• www.healthcentral.com

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 Celgene; Kite, A Gilead Company; and Novartis Oncology.

The post How CAR T-cell Therapy Saved My Life: Chuck’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Survivor’s guilt is not an unusual reaction among those who have experienced a traumatic event, especially those impacted by cancer. Join in as Shona sits down with Micheline Toussaint onsite at CancerCon 2019. CancerCon is an annual conference held every year by Stupid Cancer, an organization that provides support to young adult cancer survivors. Micheline is an Oncology Therapist at Inova Dwight and Martha Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, VA. On this episode, Micheline defines survivor guilt, how it differs from person to person and the impact it has on an individual and their loved ones. She also shares coping mechanisms that she uses to treat patients as well as helpful resources available to those who may be experiencing survivor guilt.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Mentioned on this episode:

• CancerCon
• Survivor Guilt

Additional LLS Support Resources:

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

The post Survivor Guilt: Common Yet Under-Discussed first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

On this episode, Alicia and Lizette speak with Dr. Rayne H. Rouce. Dr. Rouce is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at Texas Children’s Cancer Center where she is a member of the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant programs. She works as part of The Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, focused on translating targeted T-cell therapies, and has been involved in every aspect of CAR T-cell development for clinical use.  On this episode, Dr. Rouce explains what types of cancers chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, known as CAR T-cell therapy, currently treats, when it may be considered for treatment and why the recovery process may be different for each person. She addresses quality-of-life issues and recommends great questions about CAR T-cell therapy that a patient or caregiver should consider asking their healthcare team. Dr. Rouce shares her excitement for how she sees this therapy improving in the future and continues to work towards discovering how it can be a hopeful option for more and more patients.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Mentioned on this episode:

• CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell immunotherapy
• Clinical Trials
• Possible Side Effects of CAR T-Cell Therapy
• Clinical Trials
• Communicating with Your Specialist

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• CAR T-Cell Therapy Process
• Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy Facts
• Information Specialists
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Caregiver support
• Support groups

Support for this episode provided by Celgene; Kite, A Gilead Company; and Novartis.

The post CAR T-cell Explained: Recovering from CAR T-cell Therapy first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.

Join in as Shona sits down with Elissa Baldwin onsite at CancerCon 2019. CancerCon is an annual conference held every year by Stupid Cancer, an organization that provides support to young adult cancer survivors. Elissa is a young adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivor. After a bone marrow biopsy two weeks earlier, she went on a solo trip to Europe and was diagnosed by email while staying in a hostel in Lisbon, Portugal. She was able to book an emergency flight back home to Portland, OR to begin chemotherapy within a week. On this episode, Elissa shares how and when she was diagnosed, the emotional and physical challenges she experienced and how her diagnosis served as inspiration for a career change. She emphasizes the importance of therapy during a cancer diagnosis and continues to serve as a source of encouragement for other young adult survivors.

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Mentioned on this episode:

• CancerCon
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• Treatment for AML
• Beat AML Master Trial
• Light The Night
• Volunteering at LLS

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Young adult videos
• 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 Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

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 My AML Diagnosis: Elissa’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with LLS.