Did you like my screenplay? I know, I know, maybe it's not award-winning material, but it serves as a good introduction! As Mary stated, leukemia is a type of cancer where you can't produce red and white blood cells normally. There are four, count them, four types of leukemia:

1. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
2. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
3. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
4. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) is a disease that ends up with an accumulation of immature, functionless cells in the bone marrow and blood. The bone marrow cannot produce enough normal red and white blood cells any more. This lack of production prevents the body from fighting infections effectively. People with this disease get bruised and bleed easily. But just because you may bruise easily doesn't mean you have leukemia! Don't worry!!

Most cases of leukemia take its toll on older adults. mostly over the age of 64. Adults are taken by leukemia eight times more than children . The most common form of Leukemia found in children (ages 0-14) is ALL. The most common type for adults is AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia).

Guess what guys and gals, gender takes a part, too!!! Leukemia is found more in males than in females. Males account for about 58% of leukemia patients in the United States.

Race and ethnicity appear to be responsible too. People with European descent rather than African descent are more likely to get leukemia. So leukemia is highest among Caucasians opposed to Japanese, Chinese and Korean people, who have the lowest incidence. Hispanic children, although, have the highest rate of leukemia.

The most common form of leukemia among children is ALL. More than 30% of the new cases of this disease occurs among children. The incidence of ALL among 1- to 4-year-old children is 10 times greater than the rate for young adults ages 20-24. Most kids under 15 with ALL are able to be cured.

Some signs of ALL are bleeding rapidly and bruising easily, but, I say again, just because this might happen to you doesn't automatically mean you have leukemia. That can be caused by other stuff as well. Another sign is if you suddenly see a change in a healing of minor cuts. If you go to a doctor, they will examine your bone marrow and cells.

Anyone can have leukemia. Just because your ethnicity or race has a lower rate for leukemia, you can still get it; these numbers just means that it happens less frequently to people in your group.

No one has discovered the cause of leukemia yet. Exposure to benzene at a workplace or school, and exposure to extraordinary of doses of radiation can be causes, but this does not cause all types of leukemia.

About 21,900 deaths in the United States were expected for 2003. In other words, 12,100 males and 9,800 females. Most victims die of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. The estimated numbers of deaths of leukemia in the United States are about 23% higher for males than females. The death rate for children has declined 62% over the last three decades.

Next time you're free for a long period of time, organize a leukemia run, where all money donated will go toward leukemia research. You could save hundreds of lives, just because you did a small favor for the cancer community. Saving lives is better then sitting at home watching T.V.

If you live by a big city, there are usually runs and walks dedicated to leukemia research. There are many other types of cancer you could donate money to. Leukemia isn't the only type of cancer around. Another major one is breast cancer, but I won't go into that right now.

Just remember that doing a little in your community can benefit a lot of people -- maybe even save their lives! Be a Life Saver!

I hope this article has taught many readers about leukemia. The book "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" has a character who has leukemia in it, but I'm not going to tell you what happens to her, find out yourself!!

xoxo,

Sweden

BE ANTI-CANCER!!!

I got my info from TWO sites:  http://www.Leukemia.org/ and http://www.leukemia-research.org/.

Thanks for reading!