A type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that most often occurs in young people aged 12-30.

Cancer.gov:
The Web site of the National Cancer Institute

I was diagnosed with Burkitt's at the age of two, so I feel for all the parents out there that have to watch their child be poked and proded on. At the age of three I started 17 months of chemotherapy to fight off the effects of this disease, but one point it seemed as though there was nothing the doctors could do. You have to remember that when I got this back in 1980 there weren't all the medical breakthroughs that there are today, so you have to be strong for your children and never give up. I was one of six children nationwide diagnosed with his cancer and in the end and I was the only survivor. You may ask yourself, "What did his doctors do different?." The answer is simple ..... nothing. In my mind, I was cared for by some greatest doctors on the planet at the Children's Hospital of Denver, but in the end I truly believe that it was all the people around me that got me through.

If I can enlighten anyone reading this, I would hope they would take this with them as they leave this page. Burkitt's is not a punishment, it is a misfortunate thing that happens to ordinary people. You have to fight and always be positive even when it seems that there are no positives especially for those for a young with a child's cancer.

I pray for you and all families dealing with this disease and if you ever need someone to talk to about it feel free to talk to me.

Sincerely,
William V. Mortenson
SPC, US Army
mort85@hotmail.com