President Luis M. Proenza congratulates Lauren Mostardi at the afternoon commencement ceremony on Dec. 10.
After being diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in 2009 at age 22 and going through aggressive chemotherapy treatments and bone marrow transplants, Lauren Mostardi focused on two things: beating cancer and finishing her master's degree in history at The University of Akron. As of Dec. 10, she has achieved both goals. Mostardi is cancer-free and ready to take on her next challenge after graduation – teaching humanities at UA.
Mostardi was an above-average history graduate student and teaching assistant at UA when she was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), on Feb. 25, 2009. She underwent aggressive chemotherapy for three months as an inpatient at Akron General Medical Center, using a rare and expensive drug called ATRA. She tried her best to continue her studies at UA, but couldn't, and took incompletes in all of her courses.
Six months later, bone marrow test results showed Mostardi was in full remission. By the end of fall 2009, she had made up all of her incompletes at UA and finished a full courseload, earning straight As.
Second Diagnosis
On Jan. 15, 2010, Mostardi was diagnosed with APL again. She had another round of chemotherapy, as well as a bone marrow transplant. This time, the chemotherapy treatment was an arsenic-based compound given intravenously seven days a week for two straight months.
"I took daily trips to the Cancer Center at Akron General for the chemotherapy treatments, once even in two feet of snow," says Mostardi.
After a month-long break from chemotherapy, she went to the Cleveland Clinic for the bone marrow transplant. She went through three weeks of outpatient pre-transplant treatment to harvest her own cancer-free stem cells, which were then transplanted back into her system following yet another stretch of intense chemotherapy to make sure her bone marrow cells were destroyed. She recovered during a month-long inpatient stay at the Cleveland Clinic's Bone Marrow Transplant floor. She was released just before July 4, 2010.
"We are just so proud of her," says Mostardi's mother, Bonnie Biro. “Not only for her academic achievements, but also for the positive light she brings to everyone she meets. She was chosen as the honorary spokesperson for Relay for Life at Copley High School, but was hospitalized during the relay, so the organizers taped a message from her that was played on a big screen for everyone at the event."
Mostardi suffered a relapse in spring 2010, causing her to withdraw from UA again. She had planned to graduate in May 2010, but those plans had to be postponed.
Third Diagnosis
Mostardi was diagnosed with APL for the third time on Dec. 17, 2010, via a bone marrow test, after five months of remission. After a week's stay at the Cleveland Clinic, she returned home to start a 60-day outpatient chemotherapy regimen, followed by her second bone marrow transplant. On April 5, 2011, she received the transplant, using stem cells from two different umbilical cords. She now has a completely different blood type and will eventually have to receive all of her childhood inoculations again.
Her mother continues to marvel at her daughter's accomplishments, as well as Mostardi's unwavering strength, resolve and empathy for others.
"Lauren has never asked 'Why me?' or complained about all of this,” Biro says. "She even found a mom online who had a child with leukemia and comforted her. That’s just the type of person she is."
Focused on a future that includes UA
Today, Mostardi is cancer-free, but was hospitalized in mid-November to receive treatment for a blood clot on her lung. Despite this, she still managed to take — and pass — her comprehensive exams on Nov. 14 and 17, clearing the way for graduation on Dec. 10.
Mostardi says that in UA's history department, the professors were really invested and supported her through her difficult times.
"The professors showed an interest in students as individuals, and made sure to guide each of us in the right direction," she says. "The master's and doctoral history students at Akron are doing cutting edge research that is top-notch, thanks to their guidance."
Mostardi hopes to pay forward her good academic experiences as she teaches humanities at UA, starting in January.
Media contact: Sarah Lane, 330-972-7429 or slane@uakron.edu.