Cancer has disrupted my life three times over the past 16 years.
The first time was in 2005, when my late husband, Eli, was diagnosed with leukemia. The second time was in the summer of 2008, when I was diagnosed with lymphoma. The third time was in January 2017, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Each of those experiences has taught me something useful. Here are my five most valuable takeaways.
1. Don’t skip...

If you’ve never heard of double-hit lymphoma or you’re unfamiliar with the specifics of the disease, you’re not alone. This rare and aggressive...
In May 2019, a few days after my son’s high school graduation, I woke up to a large lump as hard as a tennis ball on my side. My family and...
B-cell lymphoma isn’t one disease. There are about 63 subtypes, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) being the most common. A chemotherapy regimen called R-CHOP has been the standard treatment approach since 2002, when the antibody therapy rituximab was added to the chemotherapy regimen CHOP.
Almost 60% of patients find success with R-CHOP. But what about the remaining 40% of B-cell lymphoma patients?
“The success...

In 2016, my husband and I were trying to expand our family. A swollen lymph node almost derailed our plans entirely.
I’d felt the lump...
When Maribeth Holzer asked her family doctor about a curious lump in her right armpit, she never suspected it was follicular lymphoma...
A cancer diagnosis can provoke a range of emotions and prompt endless questions. So throughout the year, we shared dozens of insights from...
Most people don’t look back on their cancer experience with fondness.
But Jacqueline Wallace is not most people.
The 60-year-old...
When it comes to facing cancer, follicular lymphoma survivor Michael Baker says laughter is the best medicine.
Well, actually lenalidomide...
When I was diagnosed with my primary mediastinal large b-cell lymphoma diagnosis in November 2017, I was in the second trimester of my pregnancy...