Art, Humor, and Resilience in Alex’s Hodgkin Lymphoma Journey
Senior year is supposed to be about Friday night football, band practice, and time with friends. For 17-year-old Alex Landreau, a senior at West Forsyth High School, this year has included all of that. It has also included cancer.
Alex is an artist. She draws constantly, and she’s very good at it. She’s also a member of the West Forsyth marching band, where she’s found a second home. She’s quiet and gentle, but the people closest to her will tell you she’s tougher than she looks – and funnier, too. Her quick wit has gotten her family through some of the hardest days of the past year.
The Unexpected Turn
It started in January, during an ice storm, with what looked like a winter bug that wouldn’t go away. Alex’s mom, Carolyn, noticed a lump in her neck that kept changing, along with a slight wheeze everyone assumed was left over from the flu. An ultrasound, a CT scan, and a trip to the ER followed in quick succession, and the scans showed tumors in her lungs. A PET scan confirmed the diagnosis: nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL), a rare cancer of the lymph nodes and immune system known for its unusually large “popcorn” cells. By February, the family was reading through a two-page list of places the cancer had reached, from her head to her pelvis.
Treatment
Alex started treatment on March 9. Over the next several months, she went through six cycles of chemotherapy, with infusion days that ran seven and a half hours at the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The side effects were hard. Her heart rate spiked. She was exhausted all the time. Her hair fell out, and she eventually shaved her head. And for an artist, one side effect was especially cruel: the chemo left her fingertips numb and shaky, and for months she couldn’t hold a pencil steady enough to draw.
Her family was with her the whole way. Her 13-year-old brother, Carson, shaved his head, too. Local schools made room for the family’s new reality, and the drama program her dad, James, leads passed the hat and donated to CURE Childhood Cancer in her honor. Alex met all of it honestly and head-on. She didn’t spend much time on “why me,” and she found the good parts wherever she could.
A New Season
The chemo worked. Alex finished treatment in June and is easing back into senior year. She’s attending school part-time and managing her own schedule. She’s back in marching band, and she walked out onto the field for Senior Night. This fall, the numbness in her hands finally started to fade, and she’s drawing again – slowly, but she’s drawing. Her hair is coming back in soft curls, and in December she’ll ring the bell to mark the end of treatment.
Still Laughing
Through all of it, Alex never lost her sense of humor. When her hair started growing back in a short, textured crop, she saw the joke right away: this Halloween, she’s going as Eleven from Stranger Things. A girl with a buzz cut who’s a lot stronger than anyone expects? It fits.
Alex, we’re so proud of you – your art, your humor, and the way you’ve handled this year. We can’t wait to see what you do next.
Join Us in Honoring Alex and Her Family
CURE invites you to celebrate Alex and her family in person at the 7th Annual Ring the Bell Benefit on November 4 at Glover Park Brewery in Marietta. It’s an evening to honor families like the Landreaus and to raise support for children and families going through cancer treatment right now.

One day, Chrisean called Machelle from school because his chest hurt badly. She took him to the children’s hospital, where the doctor pulled down his eyelid and noticed his skin was nearly white. When he ordered a blood test, the staff found a new problem – Chrisean was terrified of needles. He was so big that the nurses had to get two men and a security officer to hold him down to draw blood. The blood test revealed that Chrisean had acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
My first impression when I heard about it was to not go. That sounds weird but I felt nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. I felt so alone, and I thought by going and being around that many people, I’d feel even more alone. My husband urged me to go. I was timid when I parked and walked in. I felt overwhelmed. As soon as I put my name tag on, I felt like I was somebody. Not just someone who was hurting inside secretly, but like someone who everyone else with a nametag could relate to. I quickly made friends and saw other moms I had seen in the hospital hallways.
Additionally, events that usually bring the childhood cancer community together have been canceled or held virtually. The Thomas family participated in 2021’s virtual Lauren’s Run and had a great time walking a 2k on the Silver Comet Trail (even after Zoe fell asleep.) This year, they are very much looking forward to the in-person Lauren’s Run & Picnic.

CURE vice-president Mandy Garola started the Savannah Catie’s Gathering nine years ago. There are so many reasons it continues to grow – not the least of which are the sponsors, committee members, volunteers, staff, hostesses, vendors, donors, and guests.



The x-ray revealed a mass in Hannah’s chest near her trachea. She was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit because the doctors worried the tumor might shift and cut off her airway. After a biopsy she was moved to the pediatric oncology floor where Hannah was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“Joseph was my only sibling, and we were very close,” said his sister, Rachel. “During his cancer journey, he taught me to be grateful for life’s little things. He had such a kind spirit and loved to encourage others because of the unique perspective cancer gave him.”



