Emma Operacz’s Journey Through Cancer Treatment

Emma Operacz was having a great summer. She was just a semester away from completing her psychology degree at Eastern Michigan University. With a bustling social life and two jobs, she was the heart of every gathering.

In June 2024, while attending a friend’s graduation in Milwaukee, she began to notice what she thought were signs of a urinary tract infection. She took some over-the-counter meds and tried to brush it off during what should have been a fun weekend.

A week later, she still felt unwell. Antibiotics didn’t seem to work, and she started experiencing pain in her side along with a fever. The fatigue became so intense she couldn’t go to work. “I was pretty much bedridden for two weeks,” she recalled.

A CT scan revealed no kidney stones or issues with her appendix. During a particularly tough night, Operacz ended up crying on the phone with her sister, Sara. “I told her, ‘I’m not OK. Something’s not right,’” Operacz recounted.

Her sister quickly came to pick her up from her sorority house. The following day, after seeing a urinary gynecologist, doctors noticed swollen lymph nodes in Operacz’s groin and sent her to the emergency room.

After countless tests, including an ultrasound and a pelvic exam, the doctors informed her that her lymph nodes were swollen. They mentioned it could be due to a pelvic infection or worse—lymphoma. The casual way they mentioned it was jarring.

At first, Operacz wasn’t too worried; she thought, “I’m a healthy 21-year-old. This can’t be serious.” However, her condition worsened. The fever escalated, and her heart rate became erratic. After spending a week in the hospital, a biopsy provided grim news: Stage IV lymphoma.

“I watched my sister disappear in front of me”

Operacz was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that affects around 15% of patients. This particular kind was ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma, seemingly more common among younger individuals.

The diagnosis brought some clarity to her condition. After stabilization, she was discharged, but merely two days later, severe pain sent her back to the hospital where doctors started chemotherapy immediately.

Despite treatment, she faced numerous complications and was frequently hospitalized. “It felt like my life was on pause. I couldn’t escape the hospital,” she shared. One time, her sister had to call an ambulance after Emma collapsed in her apartment.

After several weeks, scans showed that the cancer had spread to her central nervous system and brain, prompting a transfer to the Cleveland Clinic on July 12, 2024. During this time, Operacz struggled to retain lucidity as treatments failed and her prognosis worsened.

“I watched my sister disappear in front of me,” Sara recalled. “She went from this vibrant 21-year-old to someone who was just skin and bones. I was even planning her funeral.”

An Experimental Treatment and Bone Marrow Transplant

Dr. Deepa Jagadeesh proposed using a lung cancer medication called alectinib, which had shown promise for pediatric patients with her specific type of lymphoma. Notably, this drug could cross the blood-brain barrier, enhancing its effectiveness for central nervous system treatment. After securing approval from her insurance, they began this treatment on August 20, 2024.

Miraculously, Operacz began to improve and was able to recover at an Airbnb rented by her parents. By September, she was in remission. However, her medical journey was far from over, as Dr. Jagadeesh recommended a bone marrow transplant to prevent any lingering issues.

Sara was a perfect match to donate her bone marrow and expressed no hesitation in the process. “It felt like this was my responsibility,” she stated confidently. “I would do it a hundred times over if it meant saving her.”

The transplant took place on November 8, 2024, just a day after Operacz celebrated her 22nd birthday. Afterward, she spent another 70 days in Cleveland in isolation as her immune system needed time to recover.

“It was a tough period. I was distanced from my friends, my parents were there, but it was winter, and it felt dark,” she said. “I’d just beaten cancer and undergone a transplant. I wondered, ‘What’s next? How do I start rebuilding my life?’”

“Building a New Emma”

While recovering, Operacz enrolled in online classes. After her isolation ended, she took short road trips and gradually began reclaiming her sense of self. Eventually, she moved to Ohio with her sister. In December 2025, she finally graduated.

“I got to say goodbye to the college version of myself and felt like I was starting anew,” Operacz explained.

She will continue with follow-up care. Dr. Jagadeesh noted that the risk of relapse decreases significantly two years post-transplant and after five years, many patients are considered cured.

But Operacz isn’t taking any chances. In January, she began a graduate program in social work, aiming to assist cancer patients. “I want to give back,” she said. “Through everything I faced, it’s clear I can’t hold onto the old me. I just need to focus on building a new Emma.”