Meet Utah’s Incredible ‘Cancer Dancer’ Competing On NBC’s ‘Dancing with Myself:’ Mom Of Five Has 2.5 Million TikTok Followers

“Cancer Dancer” Stokes’ Leukemia Journey

Stokes was diagnosed with leukemia on April 24, 2020, reports The Salt Lake Tribune. Her earliest leukemia symptoms came when she was pregnant with her daughter in 2019. They included a constant cough, nausea, and aches. Stokes figured they were symptoms of pregnancy.

But after her baby was born in August 2019, the symptoms persisted, and began to include a sore throat, night sweats, and even bruising. She then sought professional care and got blood tests, which led to her leukemia diagnosis.

Through her health battle, she has also experienced hair loss, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. She has also battled leukemia through the Covid-19 pandemic, which has not been easy. Stokes has treated her cancer with chemotherapy. She was also put on steroids.

But in the face of everything, Stokes remains an incredible and empowered optimist. We love to see her dancing through life in the face of hardship. In a recent TikTok video, she writes, “Cancer made me better. Day 788 fighting leukemia. LETS SEE YOURS.” This kind of optimism and spirit is so potent and powerful.

Advancements in Treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Understanding Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia, also known as AML, is a cancer that affects bone marrow the spongy tissue inside of your bones. It's a rare cancer overall, but it's the most common type of leukemia in adults, like Snyder. Children rarely get AML.

"To understand acute myeloid leukemia, you have to understand how the bone marrow works," Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, former director of the Leukemia Program at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center and current chief of the Division of Hematology at University of Miami Health System, previously told SurvivorNet. "The bone marrow is the factory that makes all of the cells that wind up in our blood stream."

This so-called factory makes red blood cells that bring oxygen to our tissues, white blood cells that make up the immune system, as well as platelets, which help stop bleeding, Dr. Sekeres explained. All of these cells perform essential functions in the body, and a spike or decline in any of them can lead to some serious health issues.

"When a person has cancer of the bone marrow, such as acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes, that factory gets broken. These are cancers," he said. "Cancers grow, and they grow in an uncontrollable way."

Dr. Sekeres pointed out that the way blood cancer grows is different from the way other, solid-tumor cancers grow. With breast cancer, for example, someone may develop a lump or a tumor that grows overtime. With AML, as cancer grows in a confined space (the bone marrow), the normal cells in this space that would be making the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, begin dying off. This leads to the bone marrow being filled with cancer cells.

What is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.