“It’s so easy, I feel like I’m getting away with something.” That’s how Nella Smolinksi describes the last three years of treatment with an immunotherapy drug to control her rare form of Hodgkin lymphoma.
On June 23, 2019, Ted Rung crossed the Ride for Roswell finish line, completing the 100-mile route. No small feat for a 31-year-old who had just fought cancer for the third time.
Single dad Chris Bosley is currently in his second monthlong stay at Roswell Park for treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). During his first hospitalization, back in December, he saw his parents every day and, best of all, his son three times a week.
Nearly five years ago, out of nowhere, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and my illusion of good health was instantly shattered. Even though I knew I was receiving excellent care at Roswell Park, still I was afraid.
It was the middle of May. My son and his wife had just had their first baby — my first grandchild — on Mother's Day. I hadn’t been feeling well and got dizzy every time I went to stand up.
"They said I wasn't a candidate for surgery, and that I needed three more months of chemo, which I couldn't tolerate. They made me feel like I wouldn’t live very long. When I asked what I should do, they told me I should call hospice."
Then Romaine’s primary doctor sent her to Roswell Park for a second opinion.
Genetic mutations passed down from generation to generation in this group are responsible for higher-than-average rates of cancer. Learn how a mother and daughter are managing their risk.
