New York cancer survivors share stories to inspire others at Lymphoma Research Foundation's annual gala
NEW YORK -- The Lymphoma Research Foundation recently held its annual gala marking advancements in blood cancer research.
Lymphoma is the most common type of blood cancer, according to the foundation.
Every year, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with lymphoma or leukemia.
Advocates, doctors and survivors gathered at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on West 54th Street for the occasion.
Paula Ngon of Manhattan told CBS New York she was diagnosed in April 2021 after one morning when she noticed her lymph nodes were swollen .
"I went to the emergency room and they basically me unless you're bleeding out on the floor, don't come to the emergency room. I booked an appointment with a PCP I found on Zocdoc the next day and she was a woman of color and I immediately felt seen and heard," said Ngon. "She did a chest X-ray and an ultrasound and told me she saw a shadow in my chest ... I've really been fighting for awareness of health care disparities and the issues that exist in health care in terms of representation.
"I've been in treatment for five years with a very rare form of T-cell non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for which there is no cure," said Ilyse Leibowitz, of Dix Hills. "They are coming up with new treatments everyday and I have finally found one that's working that was just FDA approved a couple of years ago ... When they share blurbs of doctors and research they're doing and you see you're subtype in there it just gives me this feeling like I'm not dying and I know that I have a long life to live."
Ngon and Leibowitz said they want to share their stories to provide hope to others.
For more information or support, call the Lymphoma Research Foundation's helpline at 800-500-9976.