Leukemia survivor, breast cancer caregiver: Why I joined MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer

My wife, Lorraine, is a 17-year breast cancer survivor, thanks to the treatment she received at MD Anderson in 2007. So, when I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at age 65 in 2018, there was no question about where I’d be going.

I’ve been in remission since early 2019, after completing four months of treatment at MD Anderson. So, MD Anderson has saved not only my wife’s life but also my own. 

We are both incredibly grateful. That’s one reason I joined MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer® in 2019 — and my family has been supporting me in it ever since. Here are four more reasons.

1. MD Anderson corrected my original diagnosis

Until my acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis, I thought I was in pretty good health. I felt kind of invincible, like I was in control of things. But when I asked my regular doctor what would happen if I just let things ride and went home, he said, “I give you six months.” 

That scared me. So, I called MD Anderson. The first thing they did was correct my diagnosis. I was initially told I had myelodysplastic syndrome. But MD Anderson’s doctors conducted their own tests and concluded I actually had acute myeloid leukemia. That meant I needed more aggressive treatment.

2. The clinical trial I joined at MD Anderson worked

The next thing my care team did was come up with a plan. They recommended a clinical trial testing a new induction chemotherapy, a combination of drugs that prepares the body for a stem cell transplant. Its goal was to reduce my chances of relapse, graft vs. host disease and rejection, and increase my chances of achieving long-term remission.

That all sounded really good to me. I joined the clinical trial. But the treatment was tough. The induction chemotherapy made me so sick that I sometimes wondered if it was worth it. Today, I know it was. And I’m grateful that the new combination of drugs did what it was supposed to do. At the time, though, I wasn’t so sure. 

I had a stem cell transplant using an unrelated donor’s cells on Feb. 6, 2019. I stayed in isolation in the hospital for 45 days afterward, to protect my suppressed immune system while the new cells engrafted. Then I went home to finish recovering. I got frequent checkups for the first two or three years. Now, I only need one checkup annually.

3. The care I got at MD Anderson was personal, genuine and unmatched

I’m extremely glad that my cancer treatment is behind me. But I had a very positive experience at MD Anderson. 

At my request, a chaplain came into my hospital room just before the stem cell transplant was administered. He prayed over me as my care team shined a light through the clear tube so I could see the donor’s cells flowing down through it and into my body. Once the bag was empty, the chaplain prayed again for the transplant to be successful and thanked everyone for coming. It was really moving.

During my isolation period, I also developed a close friendship with Blake Windlow, one of my nurses. He popped into Dr. Chitra Hosing’s office during my follow-up visit in February, to congratulate me personally on the five-year anniversary of my successful stem cell transplant. It was such a pleasant surprise. I was really glad to see him. 

4. I want to give back

That kind of caring is exactly why I signed up for the Boot Walk in the fall of 2019. I wanted to give back to the place that had taken such good care of both me and my wife. 

Lorraine, our kids and our grandkids have all gotten involved, too – even if it’s just to make a donation or cheer me on from the sidelines. My team, Loper’s Lopers, has collectively raised almost $13,000 over the past five years to support MD Anderson’s mission of Making Cancer History®. That makes me really happy.

Thanks to MD Anderson, I got to celebrate my 50^th wedding anniversary last year during my 50^th college reunion. My wife and I got married on my college campus in 1973, right after we graduated. We renewed our vows in 2023 in that same chapel. I’ve also gotten to watch my grandkids grow up a little more over the past six years. And those experiences are priceless.

Register now for the 2024 Boot Walk to End Cancer, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2.