Harvey Bongers, MD Anderson patient and two-time cancer survivor, recently shared insights on how he coped with his CLL diagnosis and living with the disease for over twenty years.

Bongers, a Lutheran minister, was diagnosed with CLL in 1991, after receiving a testicular cancer diagnosis fifteen years earlier.  One of the best ways he found to cope with the news was to talk with his peers, hospital chaplains, and other individuals. He developed his personal support group. Bongers emphasized that his ability to stay positive was based on having people around him to encourage him. He pointed to his resilient nature, which ultimately helped him through the diagnosis and treatment.

Bongers took time to learn about the disease, found a doctor that he trusted and could talk to, and then he just simply moved on from the diagnosis. Mr. Bongers' major advice to patients would be to live life as normally as possible and live as though there was no diagnosis. His "words of wisdom" for patients is to remember that every patient story is different, and you cannot expect what one person experiences is what you will experience.

Jeff Folloder, another MD Anderson patient and CLL survivor, focuses his efforts on volunteering with the cancer community. Folloder considered going into remission a gift and looked for a way to give back. He is an active volunteer with CanCare, a network of trained volunteers who provide emotional support to others facing cancer.

When asked what advice he gives to recently diagnosed patients, Folloder replies "to breathe".  Often times, there is so much going on and so many decisions to make that patients forget to simply breathe. Folloder described his diagnosis as if "he was hit with a baseball bat." It was not until he realized he had options that he truly felt at peace with the diagnosis. He recommends being aware that you have treatment options, serving as your own patient advocate, and asking questions until you fully understand. Through volunteering, Folloder has connected with other cancer survivors in a life-altering way and had the opportunity to share his experiences as a CLL survivor.