Redefining ‘Strength’: Living With B-All as a Young Adult

William has always been driven.

Originally from Nebraska, his family moved to Indiana in his sophomore year of high school where he learned a valuable lesson in adapting to what life threw at you.

He later attended Wabash College to pursue an English degree and got involved in the school’s business program. As an active student on campus, William also joined the school’s track and field team, as well as a fraternity.

“I took the idea of making college my job and knowing that this was going to be my launchpad for life very seriously. I had a lot of things going for me at the time.”

Learning to manage a busy schedule gave him a sense of control, but just as he was hitting his stride, a diagnosis he never expected changed everything.  

Something Felt Wrong 

Cancer rarely arrives the way you imagine it will. For William, his cancer journey began with uncertainty. 

In 2018, while in Washington, D.C., for a summer internship and just two weeks after celebrating his 21st birthday, William wasn’t feeling well. After going to a local urgent care office, he was diagnosed with mononucleosis (mono) and told to go home and rest. 

“They did a swab and called it a day. Gave me some magic mouthwash to numb my throat and then shipped me out.” 

Following his mono diagnosis, William spent several days lying in bed, attempting to rest, but he was getting weaker by the day.

“I went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, and I couldn’t open our fridge.”

William’s roommate grew increasingly concerned about his wellbeing and took him to the emergency room, with William in a state of delirium on the way to the hospital. 

After a series of tests, the doctors came to deliver the news to William. 

Hearing the Word “Cancer”

The moment ‘cancer’ entered the conversation, everything shifted.

“I was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.” 

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) – a rare fast-growing type of blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. B-ALL is the most common subtype of ALL, accounting for 75% of adult cases and 80% of pediatric cases.

Like many young adults, cancer wasn’t on William’s radar. Serious illness belonged to a distant future, not to the life he was building.

“I had to call my mom, obviously, and share with her what was going on. The doctor told her I have leukemia. And that I have about a 14% chance to live.”  

William learned quickly that cancer is rarely straightforward, especially when you’re young and not “supposed” to be sick. His world changed instantly and with that came the sudden isolation that cancer can bring.

Treatment and His New Normal

William’s treatment plan needed to begin immediately, and after treatment started, his world seemed to get smaller. Plans were put on hold, and survival became the top priority. 

William underwent a variety of treatments for his B-ALL, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Throughout his treatment journey, he had experienced multiple bouts of remission and relapse. Over the course of three years, William was in and out of the hospital – balancing between college and treatment schedules. 

Doctors continued his treatment cycles to not only help him toward remission, but to help lower his measurable residual disease (MRD) levels – which is the presence of detectable leukemic cells that remain within a patient after treatment.

“Our goal was just to get me back into a relative remission state,” William said. “So we could start a stem cell transplant.” 

William’s treatment did just that, and he received a stem cell transplant from his sister in 2020. 

Navigating Remission & Survivorship 

Since 2020, William has been in remission and celebrates another year cancer free every February. While most doctors would consider him to be in complete remission, he has a different perspective. 

“I will consider that at the 10-year mark for myself because I want to make sure that [cancer is] away.” 

For William, like many others, remission doesn’t eliminate fear. While he feels relief, it also comes with continued uncertainty. 

Once a year, William sees a survivorship doctor to help him navigate life after cancer. He acknowledges that survivorship as a young adult is a unique experience.

“It’s sobering, that’s for sure,” William said. “It sounds cliché, but you put a different value on everything you’re experiencing… You appreciate the day-to-day things just as they are.” 

Among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15 to 39 years old living in the U.S., over 85,000 were diagnosed with cancer in 2025, and that number is on the rise. AYAs also account for approximately 25% of ALL cases.

“It’s hard to face your mortality at a young age,” William said, “But I want to share that wisdom with the world, because if I’m able to reframe my mind and what I prioritize about life, I want to help others do the same.”

To further share his story and support other young adults facing similar challenges, he’s become involved with blood cancer advocacy organizations like Blood Cancer United and The American Cancer Society. 

“Something I’d like to say to other ALL and AYA patients is to advocate for yourself. I know everyone’s experience is vastly different – but keep fighting.”  

For more information on B-ALL, please visit Amgen.com. 

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