Leukemia, Lymphoma Awareness raised by students
By Lindsay Banecker
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 2 next >
It is anticipated that approximately 41,520 deaths in the United States will be attributed to leukemia and lymphoma in 2007.
What exactly are leukemia and lymphoma? The answer is more complex than a simple definition can provide.
According to leukemia-lymphpma.org, leukemia is the general name for four different types of blood cancers. The types are acute and chronic myelogenis leukemia and acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
The difference between acute and chronic leukemias is the presence of blast cells, which are immature blood-forming cells. Acute leukemias have them; however, chronic leukemias do not.
The ways that individuals with leukemia are affected and treated and the rate at which the disease progresses, are different with each type of leukemia. An estimated 44,240 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in 2007.
Rob Borradaile, a fourth-year computer science major, remembers when his best friend Dave was diagnosed with leukemia in the summer of 2005.
"I was crying, and I just kept getting reassured that he would be okay," Borradaile said. "In the back of your mind, there is that little bit of doubt, but you have to remain optimistic because you don't want to give up hope."
Dave passed away in April of 2006 at the age of 19, not even a year after he was diagnosed. He went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
"He was weak, lost all his hair, and was really tired," Borradaile said.
Dave was supposed to start his college career at Temple University as a chemistry major.
"I remember him in the hospital with his text books," Borradaile said.
Signs and symptoms of leukemia differ based on the type. Some of the symptoms for acute leukemias include tiredness or no energy, slow healing of cuts, excess bleeding, pinhead-size red dots under the skin and low white cell counts.
People with either of the chronic leukemias may not have any symptoms. Some only learn that they have it after they get a blood test done at a regular check up.
What exactly are leukemia and lymphoma? The answer is more complex than a simple definition can provide.
According to leukemia-lymphpma.org, leukemia is the general name for four different types of blood cancers. The types are acute and chronic myelogenis leukemia and acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
The difference between acute and chronic leukemias is the presence of blast cells, which are immature blood-forming cells. Acute leukemias have them; however, chronic leukemias do not.
The ways that individuals with leukemia are affected and treated and the rate at which the disease progresses, are different with each type of leukemia. An estimated 44,240 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in 2007.
Rob Borradaile, a fourth-year computer science major, remembers when his best friend Dave was diagnosed with leukemia in the summer of 2005.
"I was crying, and I just kept getting reassured that he would be okay," Borradaile said. "In the back of your mind, there is that little bit of doubt, but you have to remain optimistic because you don't want to give up hope."
Dave passed away in April of 2006 at the age of 19, not even a year after he was diagnosed. He went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
"He was weak, lost all his hair, and was really tired," Borradaile said.
Dave was supposed to start his college career at Temple University as a chemistry major.
"I remember him in the hospital with his text books," Borradaile said.
Signs and symptoms of leukemia differ based on the type. Some of the symptoms for acute leukemias include tiredness or no energy, slow healing of cuts, excess bleeding, pinhead-size red dots under the skin and low white cell counts.
People with either of the chronic leukemias may not have any symptoms. Some only learn that they have it after they get a blood test done at a regular check up.
Be the first to comment on this story