{"id":34635,"date":"2023-12-07T17:04:08","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T15:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ipsen.com\/us\/?p=34635&preview=true&preview_id=34635"},"modified":"2023-12-08T16:51:27","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T14:51:27","slug":"debbies-experience-follicular-lymphoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ipsen.com\/us\/oncology\/debbies-experience-follicular-lymphoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Every Moment: Debbie\u2019s Experience with Follicular Lymphoma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Debbie has been living with a blood cancer, follicular lymphoma (FL), since 2011 when she was initially diagnosed during her studies in England. While living with an indolent cancer has had its challenges and can be filled with uncertainty, Debbie seeks to find joy and live every moment to the fullest.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Debbie, being diagnosed with FL came completely out of the blue. At the time, she was attending university in England and attributed many of her initial symptoms, like fatigue and weight loss, to studying and being in a new environment. But after two weeks of tests, she was told she had FL and needed to start treatment immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FL is a cancer of the lymphatic system and a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that develops when the body makes abnormal B lymphocytes. In FL, an indolent, slower growing cancer, the lymphocytes slowly build up in the lymph nodes or other body organs, making it difficult to detect. [1]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a roller coaster,\u201d Debbie describes her experience with FL. \u201cSome days are better than others, but you have no idea how you\u2019re going to feel at any given moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the beginning, Debbie was grateful for the support of her friends and family \u2013 specifically her husband who has been an important emotional support, holding Debbie\u2019s hand \u201cboth metaphorically and physically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there is no cure for FL, it can be treated, allowing people to often live for many years with the disease. However, it is likely that the lymphoma will return at some point. For individuals who relapse or become refractory, second-line therapies are often successful in providing another remission. Oftentimes, the age and overall health of the individual plays a role in treatment decisions as well, and an \u201cactive surveillance\u201d or \u201cwatch and wait\u201d approach might be used. [2]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debbie has been in remission for nearly ten years, and she says there\u2019s a part of her that\u2019s always waiting for it to come back. She lives with the day-to-day uncertainty around if or when the cancer might come back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe pressure grows the further you go without having relapsed,\u201d she says. \u201cIt hangs over you constantly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While living with an indolent cancer has its challenges, Debbie seeks to find joy and live every moment to the fullest. In addition to spending time with her family, friends, and pets, she has taken up calligraphy since her diagnosis and says it helps to take her out of her everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For others who are recently diagnosed with FL, Debbie encourages you to \u201cfind someone to talk to and not to compare your journey to anyone else\u2019s\u201d adding, \u201cwe\u2019re all very different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Debbie\u2019s story:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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