Camille Leahy talks about the clinical trial that gave her another chance after being told she was out of options.

Cancer research changed my life because without it, I wouldn’t be here today. And without research, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to watch my daughter grow up.

In January of 2020, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I was sent to a cancer centre and did a month of chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, that chemotherapy didn’t work for me, and I was told that I needed a stem cell transplant. That stem cell transplant also failed eight months later. 

I was told that I was out of options.

But I recalled a doctor telling me during the preparation for my stem cell transplant about cell therapies, and one in particular called CAR-T cell therapy.

So when my cancer came back after my failed transplant, I did some research and I found a clinical trial in Ottawa.

From there, my T cells were taken out of my body. They were modified and trained to kill the cancer. These cells stay alive, and if cancer pops up again, they continue to kill it.

I will be four years cancer free this September.

Camille Leahy is a cancer survivor and patient advocate who shares her story to promote accessible clinical trials and innovative treatments across Ontario and Canada.