Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: From 3 Years to Live to 30 Years of Survival

courtesy of Mel Mann In January 1995, at the age of 37, my life changed forever. As an active Army officer, husband, and father to a 5-year-old daughter, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The prognosis was grim—an average survival time of just 3 years. Before my diagnosis, life was good. I was physically fit, running regularly and competing in powerlifting contests. But then I started experiencing back pain and noticed my running times slowing down significantly. After various tests, including an MRI, doctors delivered the shocking news—I had CML. The diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks. Not only was I facing my own mortality, but I couldn’t stop thinking about my young daughter. Would she even remember me if I only lived another three years? The thought of missing her major life milestones was devastating. My treatment options were limited. The only potential cure was a bone marrow transplant, but as a Black American, my chances of finding a match were minuscule—about 1%. I started daily injections of interferon to slow the progression, but it wasn’t a long-term solution. Eighteen months after diagnosis, a chance encounter changed everything. At a bone marrow drive I was...