Sami's Page

 

Hi Everybody!

I'm Sami Petrucciani and I had AML Leukemia.

It was terrible! I was eleven years old when I was diagnosed in 2005.

This is a picture of me at 11 years old starting treatment in St. Vincent's Children's Hospital.

 

 I spent over 9 months in the hospital at St. Vincent's and Riley Children's Hospitals. Luckily, my dad's bone marrow was a match, so I had a bone marrow transplant which cured me!  I lost my hair, was vomitting, had pneumonia and got a terrible case of graft versus host disease.  I missed 2 years of school and was homebound for over a year taking 10-20  different drugs daily to stay alive.  I had seizures, had to be in a wheelchair and was on IVs at home. I took lots of steroids and a drug called cyclosporin which helped control the graft versus host disease, but had lots of sides effects. It was awful!

Here is a picture of me after the bone marrow transplant and many medications. The drugs caused my body to swell, my skin to change color and extra hair to grow on my face. Pretty gross!

Yes, that was really me.

There were some great things that came out of this horrible experience. I got to meet wonderful nurses and doctors that took care of me and I got to watch a lot of videos and eat whatever I wanted, when I was able to eat.  I met new kids at the hospital that were going through the same thing I was experiencing.  My friends and family came together to help me and support my mom, dad and siblings. People sent me gifts, letters and cards,decorated my room and came to visit. I got to go to the American Girl Doll Store in Chicago and see a show there, and I got to meet Miley Cyrus. I even got a dog!!  His name is Bandit.  But most of all, I learned that I was really strong and that I could beat Leukemia!

I am really happy that I am healthy now.  I still think that it wasn't fair that I had to get cancer, but I am trying to move past that.

I am really excited about the Leuk-OUT and the chance to help other people suffering the way I did.  I hope the money we raise finds a cure and a treatment that doesn't have such terrible side effects.

 

This is a picture of my family and my dog, Bandit.

Please join me in supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) by making a donation to my fundraising campaign. Although I do not plan to swim, I will be saying hello and greeting people in the crowd throughout the fundraiser. Thanks for your support!

Please visit my Web site often and bring friends who would also like to donate!

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere I thank you for your support!

Love,

     Sami