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World cml awareness day 09-22-2022 and recommended reading

A day for reflection 

A day for sincere heartfelt thanks

A day for self affirmation:

You are stronger than you know,

More positive than you ever thought possible, 

And you can still LIVE with cancer. 

For maximum awareness potential, is it possible for this Forum and iCMLF. To have "world cml awareness day ",included on printed calendars as a "calendar day"?!

From the Forum's suggested reading list, I have a copy of :

"The Philadelphia Chromosome "

A genetic mystery, a lethal cancer, and the improbable invention of a life saving treatment. 

By Jessica Wapner 

It is humbling to read about the dedication of the scientists and doctors, who have saved my life. 

In my local library, I spotted the title of a book, that I had to borrow:

"F××× You Cancer "

How to face the big C, live your life and still be yourself 

By Deborah James 

Not a cml story. BUT, find out what you can about this inspirational lady, (also known as Bowel Babe). Reading her book is like being down my local pub, having a good laugh and cry with my best friend. 

Her second book is:

"How To Live When You Could Be Dead "

By Deborah James 

Go Forward and Go Downward 

Alan 

Hi Alan,

I dont know how long it has been since you were dx with CML but for me it is coming up for 16 years on that magic orange pill Givec/Imatinib-if you had this condition prior to 2001 /2002 then chances are you would now be long gone.

The Jessica Wapner book is a must read -I lent it to my specialist who read it from end to end and he enthused about it as being suitable for wide range of audiences.It really did drive home the point that we are so fortunate that someone in Sandoz (merged with Ceiba-Geigy to form Novartis the manufacturers of original brand Glivec) decided to run with it in production terms despite CML being a very small market for any drug.

Look at 'Magic Cancer Bullet -How a Tiny Orange Pill is Rewriting Medical History ' 2003 by Daniel Vasella the then CEO and Chairman of Novartis -he took the financial risks following the amazing results from trials on the West Coast of USA in the late 1990 s undertaken by Brian Druker.

A further read is Robert Thomas "Lifestyle after Cancer"  and "How to Live" by the same author who is a practicing oncologist in the UK:it outlines how to live a healthy life despite cancer and be able to cope with what for many of us will be  a lifetime of medication and possible side effects etc.

Look on Amazon as used versions are usually available even if out of print.

Your posting is timely as it encourages us to reflect how fortunate we are to have benefited so much from medical research and drug development.

Regards

John

Thank you, John for your reply.

I will look for your recommended reading. I am happy to be inspired by such books and this forum. It has such a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. 

I certainly feel blessed and thankful when I take my chunky, white imatinib .

My diagnosis was a year ago, on my sixtieth birthday October 2021. A birthday to remember. But I am thankful it was spotted by chance. Originally, I went to my doctor concerned after "checking my poo" and noticing blood. I had a polyp removed when I was screened at 55.

Guess,I am one of the "lucky " 85% who are diagnosed by chance. Then able to commence treatment early.

As it is my birthday next month and first year pcr. Think I will have two chocolate cakes!!

Regards

Alan 

 

You are so right Alan by saying we are the lucky ones, by having CML discovered early, before the darn thing could take hold. Your pill is chunky, mine is tiny, but oh the magic they work.....

Like you, I was also diagnosed by chance, also in October (2017). So, all I can say to you Alan, enjoy your birthday and hell, why not, be adventurous, have this second choccy cookie!

All the best,

pigeon