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Welcome to my site Leukemia Girl!

Why Leukemia Girl?

Cancer is a word you never want to hear, but one I heard when I was thirteen years old when I was told I had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

When I was in high school, I heard a classmate was calling me ‘leukemia girl’ behind my back. I felt hurt, but I also knew she had every right to call me that because I was a girl and I had leukemia, what I didn’t like was that she wasn’t willing to call me that to my face. So at a football game, I confronted her and told her if she were going to continue calling me ‘leukemia girl’ that she not do it behind my back anymore.

What does a Cancer Survivor look like? 

They look like an average person.  Leukemia is a blood cancer, so it doesn’t leave physical scars behind. The only scars I have come from my broviac catheter (central line), and the emotional scars that come with what I went through. When people see me that don’t know my past, they can’t tell I ever had cancer.

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I’ve had this book for a little while but didn’t want to start it until I had time to really sit with it. I’m not going to rate it, because it isn’t a story someone made up in their head, it’s a retelling of someone’s life- someone I know, in fact- and you cannot rate someone’s feelings and experiences. Carolyn is a former coworker of mine. I knew when we worked together that she was a childhood cancer survivor, so when she told me she’d written this, of course, I read it! I’m not sure what I was expecting, or if I even had any expectations, really, but I can tell you I didn’t expect a lesson in faith. That’s what this memoir is, to me. Yes, it talks about some very difficult subject matter, but it’s so full of hope! I’ve always known Carolyn as a positive, upbeat person, and that very much comes through on these pages. What I didn’t realize is how strong and deep her faith is. It was very uplifting to read this, and it’s made me take a closer look at the blessings in my own life. If you’re struggling with something- anything!- and you need help finding your hope and your spirit, read this. It’ll lift you up, I promise! ~Lynnette

Book Review

I just finished Carolyn Koncal Breinich’s book “Faith, Hope and Cancer”. I recommend it not only for families experiencing childhood cancer but anyone who has survived cancer, strokes or any life changing medical event! Shalom            ~Kathy L.

Book Review