‘Reclaim my life’: Advocate Lutheran General leukemia survivor celebrating recovery
After battling leukemia last year and working to regain her strength, 50-year-old Nikki Mysliwiec is embracing a new chapter: healthy, hopeful and back to inspiring young learners in the classroom.
She is in remission after receiving life-saving treatment and a bone-marrow transplant at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
A couple of years ago, Mysliwiec’s health started to decline, and she knew something wasn’t right. She had previously been diagnosed with a low blood platelet count, requiring close monitoring for years. But in 2023, a bone marrow biopsy determined she had myelodysplastic syndromes, a group of disorders in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy cells.
In February 2024, Mysliwiec went to Advocate Lutheran General for a blood transfusion and antibiotics. While there, she received unexpected news that her MDS had developed into acute myeloid leukemia, a rapidly progressing form of blood and bone marrow cancer. She was admitted to the hospital and began chemotherapy the very next day.
After nearly two months of treatment, Mysliwiec was sent home. She returned for consolidation chemotherapy, a follow-up treatment targeting any undetected cancer cells, while awaiting a donor for a bone-marrow transplant, a critical step that helps to prevent the cancer from returning.
Finally, her care team found a match: A young man from Germany, identified through the NMDP donor registry, formerly known as Be the Match.
Mysliwiec underwent her transplant in August 2024, replacing her bone marrow with the healthy donor cells, and has remained in complete remission ever since. During her hospital stay, she remained active and optimistic, walking the halls, connecting with fellow patients and leaning on the support of her family and care team.
“Nikki’s strength and resilience throughout her journey have been truly inspiring,” said Dr. Yogesh Jethava, medical director of the transplant and cellular therapy program at Advocate Lutheran General. “Success stories like hers remind us of the profound impact of our work and the courage of the patients we serve.”
When she returned home after her transplant, Mysliwiec spent several months in isolation due to her weakened immune system. As her strength returned, she began easing back into her role as a special education preschool teacher, first supporting outside the classroom and eventually returning to her students this fall.
Now, she’s building up her immune system, her hair is growing back, and she feels better with each passing day.
“I’m a walking example of the importance of listening to your body,” Mysliwiec said. “Because of the incredible team at Advocate Lutheran General, I’ve been able to return home to my family, get back to the work I love and reclaim my life. I’m getting stronger every day — and I’m forever grateful for the care that got me here.”