Our 2011 Inspirations 

 

 

  Louis Eisenberg

In late July of 2008, I was feeling tired all the time, and had a bad sore throat that didn't seem to go away. On Thursday, July 28th, I went to the doctor's office to get it checked out and when my doctor reviewed the results of my blood work he advised me to go to Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center for more tests. That same day I had a bone marrow biopsy performed and was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). All of this happened so fast and I did not have time to think about treatment or options and then that Saturday, I was on chemotherapy. My life took a 180 degree turn and I thought how can this even be happening to me? I didn't know what to think - except, was I going to make it? All of this was going on and I had nightmares about the future. One day, my wife and I were alone and I turned to her and I said, 'I'm going to beat this'!

While all of my time in the hospital is not crystal clear, I do recall many challenges. More importantly, I recall the helpfulness and cooperation of the medical and nursing staff at RWJU, and the loving support from my family, friends and co-workers at the most challenging and difficult time in my life. In particular, were my wife, Beth and my brother, Michael, who was also my bone marrow donor. My brother was by my side nearly every day and my wife Beth was trying to juggle taking care of me, our 1 1/2 year old daughter and her job.

On October 30, 2008, I underwent a bone marrow transplant. After I was released from the hospital and feeling better, I volunteered for LLS and participated in the Light The Night Walk and even got my employer, JPMorgan Chase to participate in the local Walks, as well. After 3 rounds of intense chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, countless blood transfusions and several bone marrow biopsy's, I am proud to say I AM A SURVIVOR!

   Brooke Markowitz

I am a pharmacist and a full- time professor at Long Island University, College of Pharmacy. I have been married for 7 years and in 2007 gave birth to a baby girl. In 2009, I became pregnant again with a baby boy. Around 20 weeks of pregnancy I started coughing, having severe shortness of breath and arm pain. On May 24, 2010, at 29 weeks pregnant, I became extremely short of breath and was sent to the ER for a CT Scan. I was told I had a 10cm mass in the center of my chest suspicious of lymphoma. On May 28th my diagnosis was confirmed and I had a primary mediastinal b-cell lymphoma, a form of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. On May 30th, I began chemotherapy treatments and had two rounds while pregnant before giving birth to a healthy baby boy on July 16th. I finished my 6th and final chemotherapy treatment on October 29th and completed a 17 day radiation regimen on December 22nd. After three rounds of chemo, my mass was gone and I am currently considered in remission. No one expects to be diagnosed with cancer at 34 years old, let alone while they are pregnant. I feel blessed that I have two beautiful children, a caring husband and dedicated family who got me through my journey. Despite the hard times, I have tried to maintain my "bubbly" personality and go about taking care of my family. My primary hobby is scrapbooking and putting together albums for my children. I know that although they will see me wearing hats and scarves throughout the photos in their albums, they will know that I fought hard during my 7 months of treatment. I hope I can inspire those going through their journey by being an Honored Hero for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

  Charles J. Sciarra

On October 23, 2006 I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). At the time I had two children (ages 4 and 2) and my wife was 8 months pregnant with our third child. I went in for blood work as a result of unusual weight loss and chronic fatigue and for a cholesterol check up. The blood results confirmed stratospheric white counts and I soon found out I had CML. I was fortunate enough to land at Hackensack hospital with one of the foremost CML experts as my attending physician. After a battery of tests, I began taking the "miracle drug," Gleevec. In terms of having cancer, I hit the cancer lottery because my course of treatment - taking one pill every day with little to no side affects - achieved molecular remission within in 10 months of my initial diagnosis.

This was not my first experience the miracles of modern medicine as it relates to cancer. In 1989, I was a bone marrow donor for my sister who was diagnosed a year prior with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). That transplant allowed her to live cancer free until July 2010 when she was diagnosed with non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. I am thrilled to report that after several months of treatment her scans have come back clean and she is once again cancer free.

You should be aware that I am a trial lawyer. My expertise is telling other people's stories to judges and juries. I do not find my own experience quite compelling, especially in regard to the suffering and struggles that most cancer patients face from which I have so far been spared. However, the successes of cancer research are not just an individual's tale and may be worth telling. Quite frankly, but for the fundraising efforts of people similarly situated 25 years ago I probably would not have Gleevec today and who knows what the result would have been.Motivated by my wife each year and cognizant of that fact, I have prioritized our annual fundraising effort.

    Shelly Gallo

I am 48 years old and live in Bordentown, NJ with my husband, two children and golden retriever. I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) on February 1, 2010. When I heard the words, "you have leukemia." my whole world turned upside down and my worst fear about getting cancer again came true. I was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer four years earlier and always feared cancer would come back in some form or another. But I never imagined it would be leukemia.

Within one week of my diagnosis, I had a bone marrow biopsy and started on Gleevec. I was getting blood work done every week for two months and now I get blood drawn every three months and have a bone marrow biopsy done every 6 months. Within the first three months of taking Gleevec, I reached my hematological response (the first of three). Gleevec has been my wonder drug! The journey has been a very emotional one to say the least. I had a couple of side effects in the beginning and they were pretty uncomfortable but the realization that I had a life threatening disease with no real cure was even worse than the aches and pains I was feeling. I haven't had a lot of side effects but the ones I do have, keep coming and going periodically. It seems as though I will be living with them forever. I am remaining extremely optimistic as I will not let this disease take me away from the people I love. I have too much to live for and can't imagine my life without my family or them without me!!

I find that my therapy is try to keep my life as normal as possible. I enjoy spending time with family and friends and am busy with our kids' sports schedule and social life. Keeping busy and being active, as well as, involved with the Light The Night Walk has been very therapeutic for me and we are looking forward to another great Walk experience! People say things happen for a reason - I'm still trying to understand this but I do know that since my diagnosis, I have reconnected with old friends, family members and I have made a lot of new, wonderful friendships along the way. The amazing support I continue to receive is definitely helping to get me through this difficult time.

   Madison & Maria Ferris  

When Madison was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) just before her 3rd birthday on March 6, 2007 we were devastated. Upon learning that the current survival rates are over 85%, we gained a sense of hope. Having survived the same exact disease twenty- five years earlier (when I was diagnosed with ALL), with only a 40% chance of survival, we were reassured that Madison would go on to live a happy, healthy life.

This past October, 17 months after her last dose of chemotherapy, our worst nightmare became a reality, and our world was once again shattered. It was confirmed that Madison had come out of remission and relapsed - this time with the extremely rare Philadelphia chromosome. It was determined that a bone marrow transplant was the best hope for Madison's survival. In December we were ecstatic to learn that Maddie's 4 year old sister, Hannah, was a perfect match. On February 10th, Hannah bravely donated her bone marrow to save her sister's life.

Madison made it through the transplant with flying colors. Currently she is adjusting to her "new, normal life," trying to find balance between being a vibrant 6 year old, yet living under strict isolation precautions. She spends her days doing arts and crafts, dancing and signing. There is still a long road ahead. For now, we take one day at a time and constantly take into consideration how grateful we are for the gift we;eve been given. We are looking forward to the day, many years from now, when Maddie stands before others, telling her own story of triumph.