When I was first diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in 1990, I was a 22-year-old college student. I didn’t know anything about cancer.

My cancer story started when I woke up one morning and noticed my face was swollen on the left side. My mom scheduled me a doctor’s appointment. The doctor said it was allergies and gave me a prescription. But several days later, my face was still swollen. I also had severe headaches and my left eye...

In 2007, I noticed the lymph nodes under my jaw were swollen. But it took more than two years and a routine trip to the dermatologist to get my diagnosis in March 2010: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). I was only 49 years old.

My CLL showed a 17p abnormality. This meant the cancer would probably spread more rapidly, be more resistant to treatment and have shorter periods of remission.

Two of my colleagues at home in Raleigh...