"If you get sick again, my son will suffer"... Prospective Mother-in-Law Opposes Marriage Due to Leukemia from 20 Years Ago [Health Talk]

[The Financial News] A story has emerged about a prospective in-law family opposing a marriage because the bride-to-be suffered from pediatric leukemia 20 years ago.

Recently, a post titled "Opposition to Marriage Because of Leukemia from 20 Years Ago" was uploaded to an online community.
The author, referred to as A, explained, "I had pediatric leukemia when I was six, but I was cured and have been living healthily ever since." She added, "However, when I met my boyfriend's mother to seek her approval for our marriage, I faced unexpected resistance."
A recounted, "When I met my prospective mother-in-law to get her blessing, she asked if I had ever been seriously ill." She continued, "I honestly shared my past history of pediatric leukemia, and she immediately began to object, saying, 'If you get married and have children, won't your grandchildren also have leukemia like you?'"
What was even more shocking were her subsequent remarks. The prospective mother-in-law said, "If you get leukemia again, my son will have a hard time," and even went so far as to say, "What did your parents feed you to make you get leukemia?"
A confessed, "This situation is making me reconsider marriage," and lamented, "I have been deeply hurt."
Readers who came across the story commented, "I can understand the prospective mother-in-law's perspective, but her words were harsh," "Insulting the parents is unacceptable," "People who have raised children know how strong genetics can be," and "Isn't there a risk of recurrence?"


Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that occurs when normal blood cells in the bone marrow, the body's blood-forming organ, transform into cancer cells and proliferate uncontrollably. Leukemia cells multiply without limit, interfering with the production of normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. As a result, the number of healthy blood cells decreases, leading to various problems throughout the body.
This disease is particularly common in children, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) being the most prevalent form. According to Asan Medical Center, the exact cause of leukemia is still unknown, but genetic predisposition, viral infections, smoking, exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiation, occupational exposure to chemicals, and certain chemotherapy drugs are considered potential risk factors.
Genetic predispositions for the development of leukemia include Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome (KS), Patau syndrome, Fanconi syndrome, Bloom syndrome, and ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). It is believed that leukemia occurs when oncogenes are activated directly or through changes in neighboring genes due to these underlying conditions.
Early symptoms commonly include anemia, bleeding, and infections due to a decrease in normal blood cells. Reduced platelets may cause bruising, nosebleeds, or gum bleeding. Additionally, weakened immunity can lead to fever, fatigue, general weakness, and weight loss.
As the disease progresses and white blood cells invade organs, symptoms such as bone pain, gum hypertrophy, enlargement of the liver and spleen may occur. If the central nervous system is affected, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and cranial nerve palsy can also develop.


Treatment outcomes for childhood cancer are noteworthy. Although the treatment period varies depending on the type of cancer, in general, if there is no recurrence after 3 to 5 years of follow-up, the patient is considered cured. Unlike adult cancers, the cure rate is relatively high; for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the success rate can reach 80–90%.
However, according to a large-scale study conducted in the United States, 60–75% of childhood cancer survivors experience at least one late complication in their lifetime, and 30–40% of these are severe. Such complications may not appear immediately after treatment but can develop decades later, so survivors are advised to visit the hospital regularly every 6 to 12 months for ongoing care.

[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter