Olympic Swimmer, 24, Celebrates ‘Complete Remission’ Five Years After Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Diagnosis

“And even after I was discharged I had another serious illness and went through some mentally difficult times.”

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A post shared by Rikako Ikee (@ikee.rikako)

She explained, “When I was feeling healthy, I often forgot that I was sick. Even now, I feel that those five years were a very long one. And I am very happy that I was able to experience two Olympic Games during those five years.”

“During the competition, I felt the happiness of being able to swim, but also the pain, emptiness, and regret that came from being able to swim. I don’t have the option to run away, so I will continue to fight with myself and do my best in the competition.”

Rikako concluded, “Once again, I would like to thank my family, teachers, nurses, my teammates who have always been by my side, and everyone who always supports me.”

Although Rikako didn’t go into further detail on how she beat cancer after a transplant, its likely she underwent a stem cell transplant commonly known as allogeneic transplant, which is the preferred type of transplant for ALL patients.

The American Cancer Society says the main types of stem cell transplants are:

• Allogeneic stem cell transplants—when the stem sells come from another person
• Autologous stem cell transplant—when the patient received their own cells back

Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplant for Intermediate Risk AML Patients

It doesn’t seem as Rikako will be competing again anytime soon, but one this is for sure—she’s enjoying life after cancer and has taken some time to travel after the 2024 summer Olympics.

She captioned a recent post of herself standing on a beach in Bali, “I went on a trip for the first time in a while. It was a wonderful trip with a lot of lucky things happening.”

In another post, from just three weeks ago, Rikako shared a video clip of herself working on her strength and doing pull ups in a gym, writing, “Big control.

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She confirmed in another Instagram post that her “third Olympics and my swimming career” have come to an end.

“Thank you so much for all the support! I will cherish each and every year as I look forward to four years from now,” Rikako continued.

Rikako competed in the women’s 100-meter butterfly and the 4x100m medley relay during the Paris Olympics. She didn’t make it to the last round in the butterfly event.

She did however rank fifth the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero at 16 years old. She also won six gold and two silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games.

Rikako also won the title of Most Valuable Player award at the Asian Games, and she was the first female to win the accolade.

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Understanding Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is a type of leukemia where the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It is also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Olalekan Oluwole, a hematologist with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, previously talked with SurvivorNet about ALL’s effect on the body and the type of treatments that work to fight it.

“ALL is a type of cancer that is very aggressive,” Dr. Oluwole told SurvivorNet. “It grows very fast. Within a few weeks, a few months, the person will start to feel very sick. And that’s why we will have to give it an equally aggressive type of treatment to break that cycle.”

All About Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Answers to the Most Common Questions About the Disease

Dr. Oluwole also says the leukemia often resides in the bone marrow, and because it is an abnormal growth, it just keeps dividing.

“It doesn’t follow rules, and it doesn’t stop,” he told SurvivorNet. “Not only that, because this is part of the immune system, the immune system is sorta like the police of the body. So those abnormal cells that have now become cancer, they have the ability to go to many places. They go into the blood, and they often go into the tissue or the lining around the brain.”

Treatment for ALL

Treatment options for this type of cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplant, and in some cases, immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy drugs use a patient’s immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells. Several types of immunotherapy have been approved for use against childhood leukemia, according to the ACS.

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In an earlier interview, Dr. Oluwole explains the steps that may follow an Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) diagnosis. He says, “Cancer is a really life-changing diagnosis. And we would like our patients to know that they don’t have to feel that they are in there on their own. We have case managers that can help. We have social workers.”

“In fact, we have a navigator because sometimes they have blood test here, they see a doctor there, they get chemo there, they do a lumbar puncture. It can be completely overwhelming. So we actually have people that can help them find their way around the hospital,” he says.

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For people going through a stem cell transplant for ALL, there are a few things you can expect to happen. A stem cell transplant wipes out the immune system, leaving a person more vulnerable to infections. As a result, this kind of treatment requires staying away from people and avoiding certain foods that could make you sick.

In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Caitlin Costello, a Hematologist-Oncologist at UC San Diego Health, explains what the recovery for this type of treatment looks like. She says, “Once you get home, you and your caregiver will have been taught how to protect you. Because like a brand new baby, we don’t really want you in public.”

“You’ve lost all immunity to any prior vaccinations you’ve ever had,” she says. “So over the course of the next two months, we’ll be pretty strict about what you eat, and who you see, and who you are around, and really limit your public exposure, if you will, to your doctors, and nurses, and caregiver team.”

Dr. Costello continues, “You’ll be coming in a couple of times a week to your doctor’s office to make sure that your stem cells are growing the way we would like them to.”

Recovering From A Stem Cell Transplant

The Chemotherapy Experience for ALL: A Survivor’s Experience

Chemotherapy, another way to treat ALL, which we’re unsure if Rikako underwent, can be challenging, just take it from pediatric cancer survivor Justice Wexler who battled ALL himself. While he’s grateful that he was able to overcome the disease, he admitted chemo was an extremely difficult experience to get through. By undergoing treatment, he’s now dealing with heart disease as a side effect.

“He’s a cancer survivor, but now we’re dealing with heart disease,” Justice’s mother, Jayne Wexler, tells SurvivorNet. “This is because of the chemo. Chemo-induced cardiomyopathy.”

Despite the side effects from chemo and the experience of the chemo itself, Justice says he feels stronger because of his cancer journey and encourages all children going through cancer not to be ashamed if they’re facing a diagnosis.

“If you’re ashamed of what you’ve been through, don’t be,” Justice says. “It makes you stronger as a person. While I would trade what happened to me in an instant, like if I’m failing in school, whatever, it’s like, I beat cancer.”

ALL survivor Justice Wexler breaks down the chemotherapy experience

Tips To Overcome Adversity, Like Rikako

Overcoming adversity, like Rikako has done, can certain seem daunting. Many people think reciting upbeat mottos or pretending to be cheerful will help, but these solutions can make someone feel even more dejected than before. Instead, pay attention to the following steps to make meaningful change:

• Set a goal. No matter what the situation, create a new goal for yourself. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer or a chronic illness, perhaps one goal would be to educate yourself about the disease and the possible treatments as much as possible.
• Make a plan. How will you achieve this goal? Your plan will help you focus on that goal. Dr. Siddhartha Ganguly refers to this determined, focused mindset as “the eye of the tiger,” which can help people dealing with health problems, such as lymphoma and other cancers. “You have to have the eye of the tiger to go through this grueling process that is necessary these days to get rid of these virulent and aggressive cancers,” Dr. Ganguly, a cancer specialist at Houston Methodist, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
• Rely on others. Spend time with people who show you unconditional support and encouragement. They will alleviate your stress and help you remember that you’re not alone in this! Dr. Samantha Boardman, a psychiatrist and author, previously told SurvivorNet that one “coping strategy that can be productive is reaching out and talking to others. Having support we know is really critical in the healing process.”
• Use positive self-talk. Leave messages with affirmations in places you frequent. Put notes around your mirror or the computer screen that say “You got this! or “Keep going!” Cut out inspirational quotes from people you admire and surround yourself with their words. Dr. Boardman explained to SurvivorNet that “Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions.”

Facing Cancer: How to Turn Stress into Strength

If you’ve been through a difficult health challenge or any type of adversity throughout your live, Dr. Boardman told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview that one way to get your mental health back in check after a diagnosis is to try to play up your strengths.

“I sometimes will ask patients, tell me about yourself when you were at your best,” she explained. “Using that story, trying to figure out what strengths come to mind. Is it patience? Is it appreciation of beauty? It is perseverance? [Then we can] use those strengths in constructive ways to navigate their cancer journey.”

Dr. Boardman says another way to approach harnessing the strength you already have is by tapping into your values. This could be family, close friendships, spirituality, or commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Reminding yourself of what your values are and how you are living accordingly is another way to unleash that inner strength.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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