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How do you talk to your loved ones about your diagnosis?
Ralph Hills
March 16, 2026
For AML World Awareness Day 2026, Know AML spoke with Ralph Hills (https://know-aml.com/stories/ralph-s-story), a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and Chair of the Know AML ambassador group, based in the US, and Anna Mamwell (https://know-aml.com/stories/anna-s-story), a patient with AML and Patient Ambassador for Know AML, based in the UK. We asked, How do you talk to your loved ones about your diagnosis?
Ralph recalls that he first told only immediate family members the news of his diagnosis with AML. His wife, Dorcas Hills (https://know-aml.com/stories/dorcas-story), then started a newsletter to keep their friends and family updated with Ralph’s progress during his treatment.
Anna describes her gentle approach to telling her young daughter that she had been diagnosed with AML, explaining that she called it “leukemia” to avoid using the word “cancer.” From her experience, she learned the value of being open and honest with your loved ones about what you are going through. Similar to Ralph, Anna found her family’s email and social media updates helpful for sharing her progress with her wider community, taking some of the pressure off her during this time.
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