Tamara's Story

Tamara was on her way home from a family vacation when she started to feel sick. Before long, she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.

“Cancer” is always a difficult word to hear. But choosing where to seek treatment was easy.

“I was familiar with Moffitt's reputation. And I felt like leukemia was part of what they specialized in,” Tamara recalls. “This is what they do and they do it well, and I knew that they would be able to care for me.”

Her confidence in the abilities of Moffitt’s specialists is what kept her hopeful as treatment began. Even though her cancer case was more complex than many others, she always found the strength to maintain a positive attitude.

“People might think I was courageous because I didn’t curl up in the fetal position. I wanted to fight. I wanted to get better.” But it helped knowing she didn’t have to fight alone. “I wanted to get better, but without the confidence in Moffitt, I wouldn’t have been able to feel that way.”

Tamara’s fortitude paid off, because after almost two consecutive years of treatment, she’s back to her normal routine. “I'm an active mom and I'm teaching every day and just living life almost as I did before.”