Leukemia - research

9/22 - 29/08

Since the initial diagnosis, I went online and read anything and everything about Leukemia. I believe that the best resource to surviving and coping with this new norm is knowledge. You have to be able to pull the trigger, stalling would only make matters worse. Though some of the information is scary enough to read, we have to pull our heads out of the sand to be able to ask intelligent questions about our daughter's care.

Overview
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia, is a cancer that starts from white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bone marrow (the soft inner part of the bones, where new blood cells are made). In acute lymphoblastic leukemia there is an overproduction of immature lymphocytes, called lymphoblasts (sometimes referred to as blast cells). There are two different types of lymphocytes: B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. These immature cells fill up the bone marrow and stop it from making blood cells properly. As the leukemia cells do not mature, they cannot do the work of normal white blood cells, which leads to an increased risk of infection. Because the bone marrow is overcrowded with immature white cells it cannot make enough healthy red cells and platelets.

ALL, however, is one of the most curable types of childhood cancers, approaching near 90% cure rate.

We would like to thank our families and friends for your unconditional love and support. It means a great deal to us as it gives us strength and helps us to stay positive. Please continue to lift up Zoe's name in your prayers.