PATIENT JOURNALS Lessons Learned Series - No. 50
After more than two months of persistent fever and red spots on her body, Jessieca A. Macam, 25, was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)—and soon learned that she was also two months pregnant.
Suddenly, she was fighting not only for her own life, but also for the child growing inside her. Chemotherapy, blood transfusions, hospitalizations, and the possibility of a bone marrow transplant that was beyond the family's means became part of her difficult journey. Yet amid the fear and uncertainty, Jessieca chose to keep going.
Her journey taught her that courage does not mean being free from fear—it means moving forward despite it. As the months passed, Jessieca continued chemotherapy while her pregnancy progressed. Every treatment, medical procedure, and hospital admission brought its own difficulties, but each day also brought her closer to meeting the baby she had been carrying through the battle.
She learned that hope can give us a reason to endure what seems impossible today. On 25 August 2026, Jessieca gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Janella Dwaine. Her daughter's arrival became a powerful reminder that even in the midst of suffering, life can bring moments of extraordinary joy.
Her story is a testament to courage, resilience, and love—and an encouragement to other leukemia patients and families to hold on, take one day at a time, and keep looking toward the possibilities that tomorrow may bring.
See Jessieca’s full story here: A new life, a new reason to hope
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As a non-stock, non-profit organization, the EPCALM Foundation relies on your support to assist individuals living with adult leukemia and their families. Your generosity makes a significant difference in their lives as they navigate this disease. Through your kindness, we can provide the essential resources they need to begin rebuilding.
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