Help Cancer Patients Find Bone Marrow Donors!

Alexander is a young man from Moscow, a lawyer by training and an investigator by profession.  Three years ago he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and was hospitalized immediately.  After five cycles of chemotherapy it was necessary for him to undergo bone marrow transplantation.  Although his brother was not a fully matching donor, there were no better matches anywhere in the world.  Transplantation took place in May 2015. 

A few months later, Alexander had a relapse.  Additional therapy was administered, and while it succedded in inducing remission, it also caused severe graft versus host disease - a reaction of Alexander's own cells to presence of donor's cells.  Alexander's stomach, liver and digestive tract were affected.  Later, the disease involved his lungs, and he was put on a ventilator for a time.  Gradually, some issues resolved, but Alexander's liver continued to cause concerns to his doctors.  A new medication still undergoing clinical trials was proposed as off-label treatment.  Fortunately, it worked well for Alexander and he experienced significant improvement.  We are hopeful that he will soon overcome the last hurdles in his path to complete recovery. 

Thanks to your donations, we were recently able to buy medication that helped Alexander.  Stem cell transplants are still very risky procedures, and some patients require years to deal with after-effects of treatment.  Supporting them all the way is very important to ensure eventual success.

Thanks again for your care and support!  You help us continue to save more lives, and we treasure your trust in us.

Wishing you a most joyous holiday season!