Just months before she was meant to wed, a 26-year-old Georgia nurse discovered a “weird swollen lymph node” in her neck – a subtle, easily overlooked symptom that doctors initially dismissed. But that seemingly minor lump quietly signaled the start of a devastating journey – one that would lead to a life-altering leukemia diagnosis.
In March 2025, Anabel Brenner Schleicher was deep in preparations for her future. She and her then-fiancé were both enrolled in school to become nurse practitioners while simultaneously planning their September 24th wedding.
Between coursework and coordinating events, the couple’s life was busy, yet hopeful – until she found a “weird swollen lymph node” in her neck, she explains in a TikTok clip.
In an interview with People, Schleicher said she “had no other symptoms at the time other than the lymph node.”
“The main concern with the lymph node was that more enlarged lymph nodes were continuously popping up, going down my neck.”
‘Doctors aren’t worried’
After two weeks without improvement, she scheduled an appointment with her doctor, who referred her to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist after initial tests returned normal.
The ENT also noted her lymph nodes were enlarged and “was not concerned,” given the absence of abnormalities in her bloodwork, according to Schleicher.
He recommended a six-week follow-up if the swelling persisted.
“The doctors aren’t worried, and I have no other symptoms so I’m sure it’s fine,” she continued to write on TikTok, a post that showed her running a half marathon.
‘Cancer was highly unlikely’
But before the six weeks were up, Schleicher was forced to return to the doctor as her condition started to worsen.
“I went back after five weeks because I noticed even more enlarged lymph nodes, and that was when he ordered an ultrasound and my first lymph node biopsy,” Schleicher recalls in her interview with People.
“Even with this ordered, he reassured me that cancer was highly unlikely and he was only ordering it to be safe since the lymph nodes were being so stubborn.”
At that point, her ENT ordered an ultrasound and scheduled her first lymph node biopsy.
Lab let her ‘sample expire’
After undergoing the biopsy in late May, Schleicher waited anxiously. Two and a half weeks passed with no results.
Her concern grew, especially as more lymph nodes began to appear above her clavicle and in her underarms. That’s when her doctor delivered troubling news.
“[The ENT] then informed me that the lab, where my biopsy sample had been sent, let my sample expire; therefore, it could not be used,” Schleicher revealed. “I was then scheduled for a repeat biopsy on July 1.”
On the day of her second biopsy, Anabel Brenner Schleicher spotted unusual bruising on her legs – a warning sign her doctors could no longer ignore.
Her ENT immediately ordered repeat bloodwork and by the next day, the results revealed a sharp drop in her platelet count, triggering an urgent referral to a hematologist/oncologist.
T-ALL diagnosis
On July 28, 2025 – four months after she first visited the doctor – Schleicher was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), that according to Leukemia Research Foundation (LRF) is “an aggressive bone marrow and blood cancer.”
“T-cells are white blood cells made in the bone marrow (the soft inner part of bones). They help the body to fight off infections,” LRF explains, adding that “treatment can cure up to 80% of children but typically less than 50% of adults.”
Wanted hair done for wedding
Just days before her first oncology appointment, Schleicher was told she would likely be admitted for aggressive treatment starting July 31 – only two months before the date she was set to wed.
“We ended up eloping the day before I got admitted, just because I kind of wanted to wear my dress have my hair done, feel like me,” Schleicher shared in a TikTok clip of the July 30 wedding that was arranged in only 12 hours.
A short time later, the woman is seen after treatment, wearing a tuque to cover her “chemo hair loss,” thanking her fans for the support.
Ongoing chemo and kicking cancer’s a**
By October 2025, Schleicher had entered the consolidation phase of chemotherapy – a nearly three-month period following the initial “induction” phase that had already achieved remission. The goal of consolidation is to eliminate any remaining cancer cells undetectable by routine tests and reduce the chance of recurrence, she told People.
“Feeling like s*** from chemo then realizing it’s saving your life,” she writes in an Oct. 7 TikTok post, where she explains she’s on a diet of “ginger ale and toast.”
“But hey as long as cancer’s ass continues to be kicked, I can’t be too mad right?”
While Schleicher’s only initial symptom was a swollen lymph node, doctors emphasize that other signs of T-ALL can include persistent fatigue, heavy night sweats, high fever, unexplained weight loss, and pain in the belly, bones, or chest, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Patients experiencing any of these symptoms – especially if they persist – are urged to speak with a healthcare provider. Early detection can save lives.
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