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My name is Juliane Howard. I was born in Salvador Bahia, Brasil. I have done some acting and also worked as a fashion model and they are things I am truly fulfilled by. I have one brother whom I was raised with, and also a sister from my father. We moved to Miami, Florida in August of 1998. Four years later, my family and I relocated to Savannah, Georgia where I met the love of my life, Devin. Some of the happiest moments of my life occurred while living in Savannah.
My first encounter with cancer was at the age of 17. My physician misdiagnosed me for months saying it was mono (Mononucleosis) and gave me antibiotics. After discussing my concerns with my mom, we decided that changing doctors would be the best option. The new doctor immediately knew that I had been misdiagnosed. Little did we know, the new diagnosis would forever alter the course of my life.
Paraganglioma, also known as, glomus vagale is a rare form of cancer that is usually discovered in adults ages 40-70.
Being that this disease was so uncommon, it was extremely difficult to find a team who was willing to perform this risky surgery; the tumor was located in my neck.
Dr. Terris, an ENT specialist from the Medical College of Georgia, was very confident that he could perform this tricky removal. So, we decided to schedule the surgery on March 1, 2004 as an early birthday gift to myself. The tumor was finally removed and we were overjoyed. Then the pathology came back as cancerous, it had spread to three lymph nodes. Our joy quickly turned into utter disbelief. Happy Birthday, Juliane.
I went through six weeks of radiation to make sure it was gone. By this point, half of my face had began to droop as though I had suffered a stroke. I could hardly use my voice and I lost a tremendous amount of weight; I felt as though my dreams of becoming an actress and fashion model were disappearing before my eyes. Moreover, we spent so much money on specialists and surgeries, that when it came time for it, physical therapy was way beyond the scope of our budget. I walked myself through physical therapy, teaching myself how to control my eye functions and to use my whole mouth while speaking. I wanted to feel like myself again.
After a couple of years having stable health, Devin and I found out I was pregnant with our first child! Despite doctors telling me that I should abort my baby and it being detrimental to my health, I proceeded anyway. We were beyond ecstatic about becoming parents. We married in April of 2006; six months later, the good Lord blessed us with a healthy baby girl, Julonie. She took my breath away, it was love at first sight.
In 2008, my family moved to south Florida where I was finally able to pursue my modeling career. After a successful four year stent in the industry, I decided that my passion was to help children; Through our continued involvement at our church, my husband also found his true calling of becoming a youth pastor. We were enjoying life and things started to feel normal again. On June 5, 2014, I gave birth to another healthy baby girl! We named her Jianna which means "God is gracious". Our family finally felt complete.
Right before Thanksgiving 2014, started to have pain in my left knee. I have had issues with arthritis due to the weight gained from my first pregnancy, so I did not think it was anything severe . I figured I would take it easy and wear my knee brace for support. Sure enough, it got better. The following month, the pain came back even more so intense to the point that I could not do anything. It was unbearable! I went to the doctor and she gave me pain killers, but that was still not enough. I went back again for more tests to be done and on December 18, 2014 I was officially diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer) on my femur. They also found a few spots on my spine too. I was totally stunned. Two months later, at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Dr. Temple removed my femur. He reconstructed it, and in the same day I started walking and doing physical therapy. While I was at home trying to keep myself moving, we received a call saying that it was more serious than they thought and that I would need chemotherapy done again. This was definitely not what we wanted to hear, but we pressed on.
I started the treatment right after my 29th birthday and the very next month I shaved my head. I loved my new short cut and it did not negatively affect me; all I wanted to do was get better. Aside from that, it's just hair... it grows back! My rounds of chemotherapy were flying by however, due to the strain that the chemo was putting on my body, I had to be admitted into the hospital for the treatments. By the time I had my 7th round, my kidneys were having a hard time holding up. This made the last two rounds extremely challenging, but we got it accomplished. I met with my radiation doctor about my spine so that they could zap the spots they found there,
And then we were finished! I was so happy. I was finally able to go home and spend time with my loved ones.
One afternoon, shortly after moving out of the hospital, I began to notice my heart beating funny, I called my husband to take me to the emergency room. After waiting for a while, they finally saw me and ran a few tests. No one gave us any details until I asked what was going on. The nurse told me that they were trying to rule out leukemia. I could not believe what I was hearing!
On February 9, 2016 I was told that I have leukemia. That same day, I had to do a bone marrow test so that they could figure out what kind of leukemia it was. Getting that test done was beyond painful, but I made it through. After the test was done, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Although this has been a very intense battle for me with extreme ups and downs, I always find myself to simply be thankful for the life that I have. I give thanks to my phenomenal husband, mother, and people in my life that have been helping me through this fight. I am beyond thankful for my wonderful church family and friends that have also been supporting me during this journey.
I still have a long road ahead, and many more doctors visits to look forward to. I want to be here for my family and loved ones, healthy, and totally engaged in their lives. So I ask that you please donate, regardless of the size of your donation. Every dollar aids in the longevity and happiness of my family. Thank you.
To God be the Glory!
Julie Howard
Rejoice in the Lord always...
My first encounter with cancer was at the age of 17. My physician misdiagnosed me for months saying it was mono (Mononucleosis) and gave me antibiotics. After discussing my concerns with my mom, we decided that changing doctors would be the best option. The new doctor immediately knew that I had been misdiagnosed. Little did we know, the new diagnosis would forever alter the course of my life.
Paraganglioma, also known as, glomus vagale is a rare form of cancer that is usually discovered in adults ages 40-70.
Being that this disease was so uncommon, it was extremely difficult to find a team who was willing to perform this risky surgery; the tumor was located in my neck.
Dr. Terris, an ENT specialist from the Medical College of Georgia, was very confident that he could perform this tricky removal. So, we decided to schedule the surgery on March 1, 2004 as an early birthday gift to myself. The tumor was finally removed and we were overjoyed. Then the pathology came back as cancerous, it had spread to three lymph nodes. Our joy quickly turned into utter disbelief. Happy Birthday, Juliane.
I went through six weeks of radiation to make sure it was gone. By this point, half of my face had began to droop as though I had suffered a stroke. I could hardly use my voice and I lost a tremendous amount of weight; I felt as though my dreams of becoming an actress and fashion model were disappearing before my eyes. Moreover, we spent so much money on specialists and surgeries, that when it came time for it, physical therapy was way beyond the scope of our budget. I walked myself through physical therapy, teaching myself how to control my eye functions and to use my whole mouth while speaking. I wanted to feel like myself again.
After a couple of years having stable health, Devin and I found out I was pregnant with our first child! Despite doctors telling me that I should abort my baby and it being detrimental to my health, I proceeded anyway. We were beyond ecstatic about becoming parents. We married in April of 2006; six months later, the good Lord blessed us with a healthy baby girl, Julonie. She took my breath away, it was love at first sight.
In 2008, my family moved to south Florida where I was finally able to pursue my modeling career. After a successful four year stent in the industry, I decided that my passion was to help children; Through our continued involvement at our church, my husband also found his true calling of becoming a youth pastor. We were enjoying life and things started to feel normal again. On June 5, 2014, I gave birth to another healthy baby girl! We named her Jianna which means "God is gracious". Our family finally felt complete.
Right before Thanksgiving 2014, started to have pain in my left knee. I have had issues with arthritis due to the weight gained from my first pregnancy, so I did not think it was anything severe . I figured I would take it easy and wear my knee brace for support. Sure enough, it got better. The following month, the pain came back even more so intense to the point that I could not do anything. It was unbearable! I went to the doctor and she gave me pain killers, but that was still not enough. I went back again for more tests to be done and on December 18, 2014 I was officially diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer) on my femur. They also found a few spots on my spine too. I was totally stunned. Two months later, at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Dr. Temple removed my femur. He reconstructed it, and in the same day I started walking and doing physical therapy. While I was at home trying to keep myself moving, we received a call saying that it was more serious than they thought and that I would need chemotherapy done again. This was definitely not what we wanted to hear, but we pressed on.
I started the treatment right after my 29th birthday and the very next month I shaved my head. I loved my new short cut and it did not negatively affect me; all I wanted to do was get better. Aside from that, it's just hair... it grows back! My rounds of chemotherapy were flying by however, due to the strain that the chemo was putting on my body, I had to be admitted into the hospital for the treatments. By the time I had my 7th round, my kidneys were having a hard time holding up. This made the last two rounds extremely challenging, but we got it accomplished. I met with my radiation doctor about my spine so that they could zap the spots they found there,
And then we were finished! I was so happy. I was finally able to go home and spend time with my loved ones.
One afternoon, shortly after moving out of the hospital, I began to notice my heart beating funny, I called my husband to take me to the emergency room. After waiting for a while, they finally saw me and ran a few tests. No one gave us any details until I asked what was going on. The nurse told me that they were trying to rule out leukemia. I could not believe what I was hearing!
On February 9, 2016 I was told that I have leukemia. That same day, I had to do a bone marrow test so that they could figure out what kind of leukemia it was. Getting that test done was beyond painful, but I made it through. After the test was done, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Although this has been a very intense battle for me with extreme ups and downs, I always find myself to simply be thankful for the life that I have. I give thanks to my phenomenal husband, mother, and people in my life that have been helping me through this fight. I am beyond thankful for my wonderful church family and friends that have also been supporting me during this journey.
I still have a long road ahead, and many more doctors visits to look forward to. I want to be here for my family and loved ones, healthy, and totally engaged in their lives. So I ask that you please donate, regardless of the size of your donation. Every dollar aids in the longevity and happiness of my family. Thank you.
To God be the Glory!
Julie Howard
Rejoice in the Lord always...