Informative Speech on Leukemia
Hope, denial, anger, fear, and worry are words that come to mind when we think of the word cancer. Cancer is a word we never want to hear. I’m sure at some point in your life, everyone in here knows someone who has been affected by cancer. On September 19th of this year, not even a month ago, I did one of the hardest things I was ever faced to do… I attended one of my best friend’s funeral. Kali suffered from Leukemia since the young age of 10 and fought her battle until the age of 24. This topic is so dear to my heart because it was not until after she passed away that I found out exactly what she suffered from. So today, I would like to inform you about Leukemia’s symptoms, treatments, and who can be affected by it.
So, what exactly is Leukemia and what are some symptoms to be aware of? Leukemia is characterized by an increase of abnormal white cells in the blood and bone marrow. In lamer terms, “Cancer of the blood cells.” If you have Leukemia, the first thing affected are your white blood cells that fight infections. If you have Leukemia, your white blood cell count becomes almost non-existent making it extremely difficult to fight any infection. A simple cold would feel like pneumonia to a Leukemia patient. Kali told me that her immune system was equal to a 6 month old baby. In addition to your white blood cells, your red blood cells are also affected. Red blood cells help carry oxygen from your lungs throughout your entire body. If you lack red blood cells, you will most likely experience shortness of breath. This explains why at times Kali would speak very slowly in order to catch her breath. Lastly, your platelets are affected. Platelets help control bleeding and bruising on the body. When affected you are more likely to experience excessive bleeding and easily bruised.
When the oncologist, a doctor that specializes in cancer, suspects that you have cancer he or she will question your symptoms. Common symptoms include fever, paleness of the skin,
So, what exactly is Leukemia and what are some symptoms to be aware of? Leukemia is characterized by an increase of abnormal white cells in the blood and bone marrow. In lamer terms, “Cancer of the blood cells.” If you have Leukemia, the first thing affected are your white blood cells that fight infections. If you have Leukemia, your white blood cell count becomes almost non-existent making it extremely difficult to fight any infection. A simple cold would feel like pneumonia to a Leukemia patient. Kali told me that her immune system was equal to a 6 month old baby. In addition to your white blood cells, your red blood cells are also affected. Red blood cells help carry oxygen from your lungs throughout your entire body. If you lack red blood cells, you will most likely experience shortness of breath. This explains why at times Kali would speak very slowly in order to catch her breath. Lastly, your platelets are affected. Platelets help control bleeding and bruising on the body. When affected you are more likely to experience excessive bleeding and easily bruised.
When the oncologist, a doctor that specializes in cancer, suspects that you have cancer he or she will question your symptoms. Common symptoms include fever, paleness of the skin,