The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast

Join us as we speak to Kristin Furhrmann-Simmons, a caregiver and an LLS volunteer. Kristin talks to us about caring for her father who is a CLL survivor, and how she decided to join LLS’s advocacy efforts through our Office of Public Policy.  For Kristin, it was a great way to connect with people in her community and share her family’s story.  And she knew that for her dad, being as sick as he was, it was helpful to have her as his voice to bring forward some of the issues that her family was facing as a result of his treatment.  This episode highlights how advocates carry the ability to uphold a voice that may have been silenced by a diagnosis.

Mentioned on this Episode:

• Advocacy
• Caregiver
• Team in Training
• Medicare Part D
• Mobile Action Network

Additional LLS Support Resources:

• Information Specialists
• Information & Support Services
• Clinical Trial Support Center
• Free telephone/web patient programs
• Free booklets
• Financial support
• Online chats
• Caregiver support
• LLS Community
• Support groups
• Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program
• Free Nutrition Consultations
• Oral Parity
• Prescription Out-of-Pocket Costs
• Share your Story
• Sign up to be an Advocate at LLS

The post I’m a Caregiver & Advocate: Kristin’s Story first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join us as Ellin Berman, MD a leukemia expert from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center discusses the advancements in treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Dr. Berman explains how not all CLL is the same, as it is a heterogeneous disease which explains why one person’s CLL can act differently from another person’s CLL.  Dr. Berman speaks about how some patients do not start treatment right away and why some patients may be good candidates for clinical trials.  Every patient is different, and since there are newer treatments now available for CLL, Dr. Berman provides patients with different treatment options, and encourages patients to ask questions and to be a partner with their treatment team when making treatment decisions.

Mentioned on this episode:

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
• Printable Question to ask your Doctor
• Memorial Sloan Kettering
• Clinical Trial Support Center (CTSC)
• Ibrutinib

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
• Free Nutrition Consultations

Support for this episode provided by Pharmacyclics/Janssen.

The post CLL: Transformation in Treatment first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Join Alicia and Lizette from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as they speak with Dr. Ann LaCasce, Program Director of the Dana-Farber/ Partners CancerCare Fellowship, the largest hematology/oncology training program in the country. On this episode, Dr. LaCasce explains the difference between chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), CLL and its connection with Agent Orange exposure, resources available for Veterans, current and emerging therapies, clinical trials and the importance of medication adherence. Dr. LaCasce shares her excitement for what is to come for CLL treatment and her appreciation for fellow providers around the world, who work to move science forward as they continue to learn from each other. 

You can listen to our other episode with Dr. LaCasce about CLL here.

Support for this episode provided by Pharmacyclics.

The post CLL: Risk Factors, Resources and Research first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.

Listen in as Alicia and Lizette chat with Dr. Ann LaCasce, a Program Director of the Dana-Farber/ Partners CancerCare Fellowship, the largest hematology/oncology training program in the country. While studying pre-med, Dr. LaCasce took additional classes that piqued her interest in art history. After managing an art gallery in New York for five years and returning to medical school, she found that being visually oriented allowed her to approach hematology with creativity while caring for her patients. Join in as Dr. LaCasce discusses diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), the importance of patients feeling comfortable with their healthcare team and why she prefers the term ‘active surveillance’ over ‘watch and wait’ when monitoring a patient’s disease.

You can listen to our other episode with Dr. LaCasce about CLL here.

Mentioned on this episode:

LLS Support Resources:

Support for this episode provided by Pharmacyclics.

The post Understanding a CLL Diagnosis first appeared on The Bloodline with Blood Cancer United Podcast.