Avera Medical Minute: Blood cancer awareness

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Blood cancers make up about 10 percent of all cancers, and treatments to target specific types have advanced.

Jimmy Isburg of Mitchell got checked out this past May after things didn’t feel right.

Shortly after, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia called acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“It’s crazy, I’ve never been sick in my life. It came on real quick.”

He is now undergoing an aggressive treatment plan.

“I’m in the third stage right now which is radiation to the brain, chemo, lumbar puncture, which is a needle into your spine,” he said.

While his cancer is in remission, there’s still a long way to go.

“His treatment requires a long duration so it’s going to take two years of treatment to say that he’s cancer free to say that he’ll have minimal chance of this cancer coming back,” said Avera hematologist Dr. Roberto Ferro.

“You have good days and bad days you know, you feel really low. I’m at peace with it all, personally. I have life insurance policies and have everything dealt with. I’ve lived good,” he said.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night walk is this Thursday at 6:30 pm at Falls Park in Sioux Falls.

The organization assists patients, like Jimmy, who are battling those types of cancer.

More information can be found at www.Avera.org/MedicalMinute.

Copyright 2022 KSFY. All rights reserved.