Love helps to overcome rare lymphoma, an aggressive blood cancer

In March 2017, Edward Harley and Cassandra Hensley flew home to celebrate their engagement with their families in Harvey, Ill. The young couple was on cloud nine.

When Harley’s mom, Victoria Edwards, hugged her son, she immediately knew something was wrong. “He had lost so much weight,” she said. “I felt like I was hugging bones.”

Harley had been experiencing stomach problems while away at college in Florida. ”I had persistent dull pain,” he said. “I blamed it on too much fast food and typical college life.”

At home, the 21-year-old continued to get sicker and soon went to the emergency department at Ingalls Memorial Hospital.

A series of abdominal scans and a biopsy led to a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive blood cancer.

“Cancer had hit us at our happiest moment,” Hensley said.

Burkitt lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), starts in the B cells of a person’s immune system. While the rapidly growing tumor can be fatal if untreated, intensive chemotherapy can bring long-term survival.

Kimberly Kruczek, DO, an oncologist on Ingalls’ medical staff, consulted with