Help Marc Fisher with T-PLL Leukemia

Hi, my name is Kelly Capen, and I'm raising money for my uncle, Marc Fisher.

On December 14, 2022, Marc was hospitalized and diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and was told it was an easy fix. After being in the hospital for 3 days and getting a diagnosis, the oncologist that diagnosed Marc said to relax and to come in after the holidays for a follow-up to begin the next steps.

3 weeks later, on January 5, 2023, Marc, his wife Sally, and his daughter Natalie went to the oncologist to learn more about CLL and to begin proper treatment. With more tests being done, such as intensive bloodwork, pet scans, and different forms of treatment, the family was still waiting for answers but hopeful since the oncologist was very nonchalant about his diagnosis.

In the meantime, Marc’s health was slowly declining as he couldn’t stand up for long periods of time, very fatigued and tired. 3 weeks after completing multiple tests and waiting for the proper diagnosis and next steps, the oncologist he was currently seeing said he is not sure exactly what Marc had and doesn’t believe it is CLL anymore. He told Marc and his family there was nothing he could do and that he must go down to Miami to get a second look from the University of Miami hospital as they have a specific cancer unit that focuses on Leukemia and Lymphoma. The family called the University of Miami hospital multiple times and was told they couldn’t see Marc until March 8th.

During those 10 weeks of waiting and getting false information, Marc became very sick and even passed out from fatigue, which resulted in a compound fracture in his left ankle.

On February 28th, Marc couldn’t breathe and was rushed to Wellington Regional, where he had a white blood cell count of over 500,000 thousand. The normal white blood cell count is under 1,000. Marc’s internal organs were starting to shut down as his heart was also going into AFib.

After they were able to stabilize the heart, Marc was moved to ICU to begin a form of dialysis called Leukocytapheresis to get the white blood cell count down to get him stabilized. He received 2 forms of this dialysis, bringing his white blood cell count down to 130,000 thousand. Finally stable, Marc and his family did all they could to transfer him to UMiami Hospital to meet with the specialist and begin emergency chemotherapy.

After waiting for a bed to open in Miami, Marc, Sally, and Natalie waited anxiously for another 5 days at Wellington Regional in ICU. On March 1, a bed was finally open, and he was transferred to Miami.

Marc is currently at UMiami undergoing extensive tests and chemotherapy, and they are unsure how long he will be down there receiving treatment. Marc and his family finally got a proper diagnosis of T Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia (T-PLL). T- PLL is an extremely rare and typically aggressive cancer characterized by the out-of-control growth of mature T-cells (T-lymphocytes). T-cells are a type of white blood cell that protects the body from infections. You can learn more about it here. https://www.lls.org/leukemia/t-cell-prolymphocytic-leukemia-t-pll

UMiami has 3 wonderful oncologists and a team of doctors who specialize in T Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia (T-PLL) as he is finally where he needs to be.

Marc is a small business owner and runs his own company. Due to his illness and hospitalization, Marc has been unable to work or provide for his family. His wife Sally and daughter Natalie both work full time and are currently taking turns traveling to Miami to be with Marc and assist in any way they can. Miami is a 2-hour drive from The Fisher's home in West Palm Beach. All funds donated will help with all medical bills and other expenses the family has to endure during this time.

Marc and his family are loved by everyone they meet, and it’s truly heartbreaking to see what they are enduring. Anyone who knows Marc knows he has a big heart, loves music (Steel Panther is his favorite), and is such a selfless person who would do anything for anyone.

Please donate what you can and share this story to help the Fisher family—every little bit counts. The family will post updates and appreciate the love and prayers.