Bloodied Up: The battle of a blood cancer survivor
Heal Mary15 Aug 2022

Bloodied Up: The battle of a blood cancer survivor

Melissa Antoncic knows firsthand how hard it is to fight through a cancer diagnosis to a complete remission. She was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) at 19 years old and found there was a lack of services and support available.

“I felt like I fell between the cracks, not really being a child or an adult in the eyes of the healthcare providers. At that point, I knew I had the capacity to ensure that the same thing didn’t happen to others,” Melissa said.

As Director of Patient Support at BCFM since 2016, Melissa can ensure that those cracks don’t have the opportunity to claim more people diagnosed with blood cancers. She is in charge of developing, supporting and managing statewide programming and services for pediatric and adult blood cancer patients and their families.

Before joining BCFM, she was the lead Grief Support Coordinator at Arbor Hospice, where she worked for more than nine years, providing emotional support and resources to grieving children and adults through group therapy and individual support.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Michigan State University, and received her Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University, but that’s not how she started out her education. Growing up she wanted to be a veterinarian and was in the pre-vet program at MSU before her leukemia diagnosis. After her diagnosis, she knew she could make a bigger impact with her life.

“I really enjoy knowing that I’m a part of something bigger. At BCFM, we provide an opportunity not just to offer emotional or financial support, but to truly impact the lives of blood cancer patients in the state of Michigan,” Melissa said.

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