Rob Leitz's Bone Marrow Transplant Fundraiser

My name is Yacki Hayashi-Tanner, and I recently graduated from Gundersen Health System's internal medicine residency. If anyone has completed IM residency or worked in Med Ed at Gundersen, you know Cindy Leitz, our amazing program coordinator, our confidante, and a second mother to many of us. Cindy has been with Gundersen for nearly three decades, and if you've had the opportunity to work with her, you're fully aware that Cindy is easily one of the most selfless individuals you will meet in your life, always making you feel heard and ensuring your wellness is at the forefront. No one would ever guess that her equally amazing other half, Rob, has been dealing with significant medical issues since 2018.

Rob's medical concerns started with a fall at work that led to significant injuries to his leg in 2018. During this time, he was incidentally found to have immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a blood disorder that causes extremely low platelet (clotting cells) counts. He was treated and recovered from his initial injuries over several months and ultimately returned to work in early 2019. Unfortunately, Rob sustained another fall resulting in seven broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Due to these significant injuries and need for rehabilitation, Rob decided it would be easier to take early retirement. Rob's retirement was accompanied by ongoing health concerns. His ITP persisted. At first, he dealt with occasional painless, spontaneous bleeds throughout his skin. A bone marrow biopsy did not show an underlying cause. Despite a prolonged hospitalization in 2019, several clinic visits, and multiple subsequent treatments for his ITP, Rob continued to deal with worsening platelet counts and recurrent spontaneous skin bleeds throughout 2019 to 2021. During routine labs in July of 2021, "blasts" (immature blood cells, often signifying a blood cancer) were discovered in his blood. His hematology team promptly repeated a bone marrow biopsy, which now showed an uncommon blood cancer known as primary myelofibrosis, prompting immediate referral for bone marrow transplant (BMT). Rob wants to fight for more time with Cindy, his children, and grandchildren. He will soon start chemotherapy for his blood cancer, and will then be undergoing BMT as soon as a donor is found.

BMT is a prolonged process that comes with many costs not covered by insurance. According to bethematch.org, "These can include lost wages, copays for prescriptions and office visits, and travel and housing costs if the transplant takes place far from home." Rob and Cindy will need to travel to Madison, WI in order to proceed with the BMT, and Rob could potentially be hospitalized for months. Cindy, who rarely takes vacation, will need time off to be there for her husband. They need our support. Any dollar amount, small or large, counts and is truly appreciated. Please donate.