Help Sam Fight Bone Marrow Cancer

Anyone who has ever met my father knows that he is extremely hard working and always likes to be busy. He has spent his life priding himself on building beautiful custom homes and working on some sort of project- whether it is building something for the house, doing a yard project, collecting stamps, hunting for antiques, reading books or spending time near the ocean.

Dad is humble and quiet and loves to ask people about themselves. He has a soft spoken voice and a kind and soulful laugh. Dad is passionate about the people and animals that he loves (especially his wife Joanna and his angel dog Abby).

In late 2020, my dad found some large, dark bruises on his body that would not go away. After a series of bloodwork and testing, he was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)- a condition that occurs when the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow become abnormal and have problems making new blood cells. Because of this, Dad's red blood cells, white blood cells and platelet counts are extremely low and the cells that are being produced are abnormal and defective.

Dad is being treated by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Boston and Plymouth, MA. For the past 6+ months, he has been going to the hospital twice a week to receive blood transfusions, platelets and shots that help to increase blood cells and try to stop the growth of the abnormal blood cells. These hospital visits can take anywhere from 2-6 hours for each visit.

At the end of May, Dad learned that the MDS had progressed rapidly.  He began chemotherapy mid-June to try and help stop the progression. Unfortunately, because of the growing cancer, Dad learned that a stem cell transplant would be the only cure. On July 23rd, my dad was told that a match had been found through the database Be the Match Org. The donor is currently in the process of having his/her stem cells harvested.

Dad is being admitted to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston on Wednesday, August 11th and the transplant will occur on Tuesday, August 17th. Because of the nature of the transplant, he will be in the hospital, in complete isolation, for at least 6 weeks where he will be closely monitored and on an extensive cocktail of medicine to ensure his body does not get an infection and reject the transplant. Following that time in hospital isolation, he will then move to an apartment located less than a mile from the hospital where he will spend at least 4 weeks under 24 hour care.

Throughout all of the treatment received, Dad has remained extremely positive and optimistic.

I have started this page to help lessen the burden caused and to assist with his medical and everyday living expenses while he is in the hospital. Any assistance is greatly and truly appreciated and I know that he will forever be grateful (as will I). THANK YOU