BY MOLLIE KALLEN, a survivor who shows us what determination looks like, despite relapse.
Well, kind readers, the last article I wrote detailed my incredible recovery from Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) after a bone marrow transplant. (First blog: See Not Every Story is a Horror Story, posted Feb. 23, 2024, available at www.nbmtlink.org, under the Blog tab.) Several months after writing that article and returning home, I received the horrible news that I relapsed. My numbers started to tank, and it was time to gather the team to look at options. I was (and am) so incredibly lucky and grateful to have an amazing medical team at the University of Miami. In fact, my incredible doctor wrote the article following my second blog about the advancements in diagnosis and treatment of leukemia.
My team immediately said, “We’ve got you” and this was what I held onto after relapsing. I went for an additional three treatments of DLI (Donor Lymphocyte Infusion) as my original donor thankfully agreed to donate supplemental cells for me. It was a very tiny syringe each time, but it was a syringe full of life changing cells and my lifeline to return to health. That in combination with a new regimen of chemo injections and oral chemo medications were able to put me back into total remission, which is where, thankfully, I am today.
My numbers are great, I feel great, and it will be almost two years since my transplant in October. I even received the green light to travel abroad which is a huge blessing. BUT the biggest blessing was to continue to live my life with gratefulness and empathy.
I have decided to start my passion project of writing a book which is a practical guide for patients/survivors and caretakers on how to become your own advocate through your diagnosis journey and to provide coaching to others and speak out regarding becoming an empowered and knowledgeable force throughout treatment. In my hospital room I always had a poster of Wonder Woman and used that as my mantra throughout my treatment and care. It definitely takes a village, and I continue to have a strong one and I am full of gratitude. But my medical team is more than that for me. As my doctor says below, we become like family.
Remarks from my Hematologist/Oncologist at the University of Miami:
“Mollie’s story is a win for hope in the battle against cancer. AML is the most common type of leukemia in adults, a deadly and aggressive form of blood cancer. Patients cannot make blood or make too much bad blood. They can be very sick, emergencies occur, and historically most patients did not survive. In my adult lifetime, great advances in cancer research have made this disease now curable for many with combinations of chemotherapy, transplantation, and the emergence of targeted therapies that can disable the disease. But AML remains an unbelievable challenge; it is insidious and relentless without constant pressure. Patients and physicians must navigate difficult and sometimes impossible treatment decisions, striving together for lasting remission and survival. It requires strong negative capability, balancing competing realities of life and death, tempered by hope and judgment, questioning what we think we know and accepting it. The bond between patients, caregivers, and providers becomes very close, like family, as they work collectively to avoid harm and value quality of life, without sacrificing the chance of success against the real enemy. Sometimes we do not succeed, but sometimes we do, and the number in the column for hope grows every year. This sea-change is multifaceted but largely due to rapid advances in molecular biology and novel drug therapies exploiting newfound weaknesses in cancer cells, while sparing the body’s healthy cells, using a targeted approach.”
“Mollie’s story chronicles the ins and outs of leukemia treatment and survival. The surreal mundanity of everyday living with the disease, calm moments of reflection, frustrating struggles with the system, the shock at diagnosis and despair of relapse, the wait for good news, and unexpected surprises. It shows us the importance of self-advocacy and family support while undergoing trials of chemotherapy and long hospitalizations. It highlights the power of novel therapies uniquely designed to target cancer-driving mutations that can change the game. Even after failure, success can still be found. Mollie’s story shows us that hope is never lost.”
Mollie Kallen is an entrepreneur, speaker, cancer survivor, patient advocate, and the author of the upcoming book “It’s Not About Me – How to Be Your Own Advocate Through Cancer” (working title). She is also the founder of Cancer Coach Connection, where she works with patients, their family members, and providers, helping them navigate the difficulties of their diagnosis and treatments and effectively advocating for themselves to receive the best care possible. Inspired by successfully navigating her own battle with AML Leukemia, Mollie became an advocate for other cancer patients and their families. From teaching coping skills from the moment of diagnosis to proactively assembling patients’ support teams and dealing with feelings of abandonment, disenfranchisement, and even non-supportive providers, Mollie’s coaching clients receive support throughout their journey. (To reach Mollie, you can check out her website or reach her through the following email and social media options.)
Email: mollie@cancercoachconnection.com
Website: www.cancercoachconnection.com
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