Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories
All Patient StoriesRyan Candler - Leukemia Patient Story
When Ryan Candler, now 32, of Dayton, developed a painful cyst on this finger, he requested bloodwork to determine why the cyst persisted.
The tests pointed to something else: a dangerously low platelet count. He was immediately referred for a bone marrow biopsy that helped doctors confirm he had a form of leukemia.
“Two days after the bloodwork was done, I was sitting in my local doctor’s office with my now wife and my mom. I was basically told that I had about six to 10 weeks to hurry up and treat this cancer. It was so much information to take in, and at that time, I had no idea what type of treatment I was facing. But it was clear I had no choice but to act immediately,” recalls Ryan, a father of two young children.
Within 24 hours of learning he had cancer, Ryan was admitted to the Acute Leukemia Unit of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) in Columbus, Ohio.
Additional testing confirmed he had high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a form of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow (soft inner part of the bone) and can quickly move to the bloodstream. The cancer cells take over the space where healthy blood cells would normally develop and enter the bloodstream to fight infection and, in the case of platelets, stop bleeding.
Ryan spent more than a month in the hospital to stabilize his disease before going home on an oral chemotherapy drug. In August 2018, he spent another month in the hospital to receive and recover from the bone marrow transplant that put him into remission. His mother, Mattie, served as his bone marrow donor.
“My wife (Andreaya), mom and sisters were an incredible support team. They helped me endure the hard times so that I could get back to my family, to being a dad,” says Ryan.
Ryan is two years in remission. He travels to Columbus for follow-up care every two months — a drive he says is worth it for the multidisciplinary care he receives from the OSUCCC – James leukemia team. He is doing well and is able to continue working as a commercial truck driver for Rumpke.