Help Rose beat Leukemia
My sister Rose was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) on December 23rd, 2020, at the age of 45. What was supposed to be a simple ER visit to check for tonsilitis turned out to be the worst possible news. We were told that treatment had to start immediately. Rose was quickly transferred to the oncology department and underwent several procedures, including a bone marrow biopsy, before experiencing a week of intravenous chemotherapy. After a month in the hospital, Rose was discharged home. To keep the cancer suppressed, she had to continue chemotherapy which consisted of a week in the hospital for intravenous therapy. Part of the effects of the chemotherapy is neutropenia, which requires multiple blood transfusions. To defeat the cancer, she will need a bone marrow transplant. However, finding a donor has been a challenge. Rose’s siblings were devastated when none were found to be a suitable match. Friends and family have inquired about how to be a bone marrow donor. There are several sites to become a donor; two include www.bethematch.com and www.americancancercenter.com. These sites will place you in a donor pool, and if you are a match for a cancer patient, you will be contacted. Otherwise, it costs $200 to be tested to see if you are a direct match for Rose.
Rose has been a Physician Assistant for the past 19 years and has specialized in Wound Care for the past 13 years. I’ve asked Rose why she considered wound care and her response was “I chose a career in healthcare to give back to my community and to help others. I love my job. I find healing wounds and improving patients’ quality of life enormously rewarding.” Rose’s patients live in skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes and hospices) in and around her neighborhood, putting her on the front lines when COVID-19 hit. However, since chemotherapy makes her immunocompromised, Rose currently cannot physically work in the healthcare setting. Complete re-immunization will take up to a year after receiving the bone marrow transplant.
Our goal is to help her beat this diagnosis and get her back to living. Being there for her three daughters means everything to her. They are phenomenal young ladies who are excelling in their academics despite the pandemic and attending school virtually, with all three earning the principal award.
The diagnosis of cancer comes with a tremendous financial burden coupled with a drastic reduction in income. We need your help. The medical bills are mounting, and medications are expensive. A transplant requires that Rose temporarily relocates to Tampa, Florida, at the Moffit Cancer Institute. She currently travels back and forth to Tampa from West Palm Beach for doctor appointments which sometimes require overnight stays in hotels. However, after the bone marrow transplant, she will have to remain in Tampa for a minimum of three months for continued treatment. The stay in Tampa requires securing housing. This means paying for a short-term rental, medical bills, and other financial obligations during her treatment. With her husband caring for her during post-transplant treatment, they will not generate any income. While friends and family have stepped up to care for her daughters during her absence, the financial burden remains insurmountable.
Rose’s family has gone through unimaginable hardship these past few months. But with your help and the support of loved ones, they will have the financial and emotional support to persevere and conquer this disease.