Episodes

Rayne H. Rouce, MD On this episode, Alicia and Lizette speak with Dr. Rayne H. Rouce. Dr. Rouce is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at Texas Children’s Cancer Center where she is a member of the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant programs. She works as part of The Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, focused on translating targeted T-cell therapies, and has been involved in every aspect of CAR T-cell development for clinical use. On this episode, Dr. Rouce expl...

Elissa Baldwin Join in as Shona sits down with Elissa Baldwin onsite at CancerCon 2019. CancerCon is an annual conference held every year by Stupid Cancer, an organization that provides support to young adult cancer survivors. Elissa is a young adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivor. After a bone marrow biopsy two weeks earlier, she went on a solo trip to Europe and was diagnosed by email while staying in a hostel in Lisbon, Portugal. She was able to book an emergency flight back home to Po...

Rayne H. Rouce, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Rayne H. Rouce. Dr. Rouce is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at Texas Children’s Cancer Center where she is a member of the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant programs. Specifically, she works as part of a research program called The Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, focused on translating targeted T-cell therapies from the bench to bedside, and has been involved in every aspect of CAR T-cell...

Ellen Polamero, LCSW, OSW-C, ACHP-SW Join in as Shona sits down with Ellen Polamero onsite at CancerCon 2019. Ellen is a clinical social worker at City of Hope in Duarte, California. CancerCon is an annual conference held year by Stupid Cancer, an organization that provides support to young adult cancer survivors. This is the fourth year that Ellen has hosted a ‘Couples Coping with Cancer’ session at CancerCon and shares why it is important to her to provide this offering. On this episode, Ellen...

Jonathon B. Cohen, MD Like any therapy that is administered in oncology, there is great promise but also, unfortunately, several toxicities and side effects that must be understood and monitored. Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Jonathon B. Cohen, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. On this episode, Dr. Cohen explains the potential side effects of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell the...

Mohammad Maher Abdul-Hay, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Mohammad Maher Abdul-Hay, a hematologist and bone marrow transplant physician in New York, New York who is affiliated with multiple hospitals including NYC Health and Hospitals, Bellevue, and NYU Langone Hospitals. On this episode, Dr. Abdul-Hay explains how ALL is treated and addresses pre-treatment considerations. He also shares the long-term effects of treatment and the importance of getting a second opinion and open ...

Martha L. Arellano, MD There have been few advances in treatment for AML in 40 years. Why is acute myeloid leukemia (AML) so difficult to treat? What is the current treatment for AML? How is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) striving to change that? How are targeted therapies being used for patients? Is immediate treatment for patients necessary for all AML patients? How does a patient’s ethnic background play a role in finding a matching bone marrow donor? Join Alicia and Lizette as they a...

Brent, Dawn and Logan As a junior in college and an intramural volleyball player who attributed the increasing pain in her right arm to the sport, Dawn Scott was forced to take notice when she woke up one day and realized that her arm was so swollen that she could not bend it. Although blood clots run in her family, there was a small voice that told her that it was something else. During her three-week admission time, she received her diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE). Join in ...

Stephen and Rebecca Join Alicia as she speaks with young adult leukemia survivor, Stephen and his wife, Rebecca. This episode was recorded onsite at the filming of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s young adult reunion video, which you can access here. As Stephen prepared when he would introduce Rebecca to his parents, he realized that he was experiencing shortness of breath which prompted an emergency room visit. While in the ER, he received the shocking diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia...

Martha L. Arellano, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Martha Arellano, Associate Professor of Hematology and Oncology and Program Director of the Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. On this episode, Dr. Arellano defines acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and how it is diagnosed. She addresses questions about cause and prevention and how treatment is determined for younger vs older patients. Dr. Arel...

Mohammad Maher Abdul-Hay, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Mohammad Maher Abdul-Hay, a hematologist and bone marrow transplant physician in New York, New York who is affiliated with multiple hospitals including NYC Health and Hospitals, Bellevue, and NYU Langone Hospitals. On this episode, Dr. Abdul-Hay defines and explains how acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is diagnosed and the risk factors and symptoms of ALL. He also stresses the importance of patients and families asking...

Marc Braunstein, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Marc Braunstein, a Board-certified hematologist, medical oncologist at NYU Winthrop in New York, NY. This is episode four of our five- part episode series, ‘Removing Mystery from Myeloma‘. On this episode, Dr. Braunstein explains how management of myeloma differs between younger and older patients. He stresses how treatment is not solely based on age and shares the other factors that are taken into consideration when determining ...

Racquel Innis-Shelton, MD Join Alicia and Shona from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as they speak with Dr. Racquel Innis-Shelton, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the University of Alabama Multiple Myeloma Clinic at the University of Alabama. On this episode, Dr. Innis-Shelton describes the process for a bone marrow transplant, the difference between autologous and allogeneic transplant, how a patient is screened for transplant, post-transplant symptoms, and adjustments that ma...

Marc Braunstein, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Marc Braunstein, a Board-certified hematologist, medical oncologist at NYU Winthrop in New York, NY. This is the second episode of five that will be part of ‘Removing Mystery from Myeloma‘ series. On this episode, Alicia and Lizette discuss the topics pertaining to myeloma patients and caregivers. Dr. Braunstein explains how a myeloma patient and caregiver should choose their hematologist, new treatment for myeloma and how it has...

Merissa Pemberton Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with a young adult and Stage II Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, Merissa Pemberton. Having just finished her master’s degree, started her first full-time job, and moved into her first apartment on her own, Merissa believed life was finally settling down. After receiving an alarming call while on vacation, Merissa shares how her boyfriend (now husband), Jake, served as a tremendous pillar of strength during one of the most challenging times of her...

Ann LaCasce, MD Join Alicia and Lizette from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as they speak with Dr. Ann LaCasce, Program Director of the Dana-Farber/ Partners CancerCare Fellowship, the largest hematology/oncology training program in the country. On this episode, Dr. LaCasce explains the difference between chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), CLL and its connection with Agent Orange exposure, resources available for Veterans, current and emerging therapies, ...

Racquel Innis-Shelton, MD Join Alicia and Shona from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as they speak with Dr. Racquel Innis-Shelton, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the University of Alabama Multiple Myeloma Clinic at the University of Alabama. This episode is the first of five that will be part of ‘Removing Mystery from Myeloma‘ series. On this episode, Dr. Innis-Shelton explains the difference between myeloma and multiple myeloma, risk factors that can affect someone’s chance o...

Ann LaCasce, MD Listen in as Alicia and Lizette chat with Dr. Ann LaCasce, a Program Director of the Dana-Farber/ Partners CancerCare Fellowship, the largest hematology/oncology training program in the country. While studying pre-med, Dr. LaCasce took additional classes that piqued her interest in art history. After managing an art gallery in New York for five years and returning to medical school, she found that being visually oriented allowed her to approach hematology with creativity while ca...

Robert Chen, MD Join Alicia and Lizette as they speak with Dr. Robert Chen about the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Dr. Chen is a hematologist/oncologist at City of Hope in Duarte, California. On this episode, Dr. Chen explains the different variables taken into consideration when choosing the proper treatment for a MCL patient. He also discusses induction chemotherapy, CAR T-cell therapy, and stem cell transplantation, explaining that although allogeneic transplant is potentially cura...

Marni Amsellem, PhD November is Caregiver Awareness Month! On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, we’d like to thank caregivers for their kindness in caring for their loved ones. Your dedication does not go unnoticed. On this episode, Alicia and Lizette speak with Dr. Marni Amsellem, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with patients and caregivers who are adjusting to cancer and other health-related challenges, and looking to build their coping skills and resilience. Listen...

Robert Chen, MD With over 60 types of lymphomas, a lymphoma diagnosis can be very confusing. Listen in as Alicia and Lizette speak with hematologist/oncologist Dr. Robert Chen from City of Hope in Duarte, California about mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). On this episode, they discuss how MCL is diagnosed, indolent vs aggressive lymphomas, and the importance of knowing what to research before attempting to learn about a diagnosis on your own. Dr. Chen also talks about how difficult it was to diagnosis...

Julie Larson Emotions are complex. We all can agree on that. On this episode, Alicia and Lizette speak with Julie Larson, a licensed clinical social worker who has spent her career working in oncology supportive care. Julie speaks about topics that arise within her own private practice with patients and caregivers. She addresses the fear of missing out (FOMO) and ways in which our emotions serve a very important purpose as one journeys through life with a diagnosis. She thoughtfully discusses th...

Marni Amsellem, PhD Hearing the words, “you have cancer” rattles your core, regardless of who you are. On this episode, Alicia and Lizette speak with Dr. Marni Amsellem, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with patients and caregivers who are adjusting to cancer and other health-related challenges and seeking to build their coping skills and resilience. Dr. Amsellem speaks about issues that are experienced by both newly diagnosed patients and patients who are further along in thei...

Young adult cancer survivors have unique needs, different from pediatric and adult patients. Live on June 21, 2018, the first ever Young Adult Cancer Action Day, listen in as Guest Speaker Shona Lovie, from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, speaks with Kate Houghton, President and CEO of Critical Mass of The Young Adult Cancer Alliance, and Sarah Milberg, Senior Manager of Federal Affairs at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Office of Public Policy in Washington, DC. June 21st is a special day be...