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How do they do it?

Parenting and having a Child with Cancer

I usually have a case of writer's block about once or twice a week when I sit down to write this blog. And then there are those days where ideas just throw themselves in front of me. Well, today is one of those days.
I take the M14 bus every morning on my way to work and today, between reading my book and listening to my ipod(what can I say, I must multitask) I noticed a man with his little girl in a carrier and little boy on his hip attempting to get them both on the bus. Perhaps it was watching his small struggle or that I am reading Baby Love or that a good friend just gave birth to her first child yesterday but something about the moment made me wonder about parents. Specifically parents of children who are diagnosed with a disease that requires lengthy hospital stays.

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My Friend Pat needs your help....

Vote for Him!

Who knew there were so many amazing people out there? We did!
That’s why we started the Energizer® Keep Going® Hall of Fame, to showcase all those people who have the same perseverance, never-quit spirit and positive attitude as the Energizer Bunny®.

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Hope for Hailey

Asking for two miracles

Rick and Maria Kent are the proud parents through gestational surrogacy of Ryan and Hailey, who are now 2 years old.

When Hailey was 15 weeks old she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) - also known as Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL).

While on chemotherapy Hailey relapsed and had an unrelated, mis-matched umbilical cord blood transplant in May 2007. She is home now but is having issues with graft versus host disease; this is starting to affect her kidneys.

Haily needs a marrow transplant.

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Remember Lisa?

We recently got a letter from our dear friend Lisa.

For those of you not familiar with Lisa’s story it all started back in 2007 right around the time most of us are eating Thanksgiving leftovers.

Imagine having everything to live for - two beautiful children, a loving husband, loyal friends and a job you love - and then finding out in a blink of an eye that you are suffering from a type of blood cancer and your only chance for survival is a marrow transplant from a complete stranger. This was Lisa’s story.

Lisa, a 41 year old mother of two young children, Michael, 5 and Alexandra, 3, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Acute Myelogeneous Leukemia (AML) the day after Thanksgiving, on her daughter’s birthday. Once diagnosed, she was immediately hospitalized and went through several rounds of intensive chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the treatments were not successful and she wasn’t in full remission. It was now critical for Lisa to have a marrow transplant. Finding a donor match would be the only thing to save her life. A donor of Ashenzai or Eastern European Jewish descent would probably be Lisa’s best match.

Hundreds of New York City mothers who learned about Lisa are joining forces, sending out e-mails and organizing donor drives in Lisa’s honor.

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Leona Lewis lends her voice to DKMS

Bristish pop star champions efforts of DKMS and Pat Pedraja

"Not a lot of people know that leukemia is the most common disease children die of in the U.S. Most children and young adults can be given a second chance if a match is found. However, only 2 out of 10 patients end up getting the life-saving treatment. I think it's amazing that Pat, who is organizing donor drives with DKMS is being an advocate for bone marrow registration at such a young age, he is such an inspiration."

- Leona Lewis

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Miracles do Happen

Keane and Ethan

When you work at a marrow donor center you want miracles to happen everyday and sometimes you feel like all you feel is sadness and heartache. With each new person we talk about who needs a life-saving donor your heart breaks a bit because you know how hard it is to find a perfect match. I mean statistically speaking, how many perfect genetic twins can you have in the world? And, who are actually registered as a marrow donor? It used to make me wish that we were all born a twin, that way our perfect donor would always be right there. Well, that was until I heard about the Denke's and their twin boys.

Xander and Carrie Denke are quite possibly the happiest couple. So happy to be married and pregnant with twins. And even though delivery was rough on October 13th, 2006 Keane and Ethan were brought into the world. And even though they still had to spend some time in the NICU, their birth was still a wonderful experience for both parents.

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Giant Kids at Camp Kiwi

Sometimes the best things come in the smallest of packages.

Kids are a lot smarter than we often give them credit for. Giant Kids understands that.

They know that children with life threatening diseases struggle so hard everyday through medical exams and procedures to make it to their next birthday that they miss out on just being a kid. They miss out on the opportunity to play and to run, that being a child isn’t fun for them. Remember when you were little and it rained and you had to stay inside? Well imagine that everyday, and that’s the life of a child facing a life threatening disease.

Giant Kids tries to remind us that these kids are superheroes. They work with hospitals and families nationwide, to honor these little children for all they have been through. They host award ceremonies and try to make them feel as special as they are.

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Look Good Feel Better

I heart Heidi

As if perfection wasn't enough Heidi Klum has an amazing heart.
Heidi was recently at a press conference for DKMS Life and Douglas Cosmetics. DKMS Life is very similar to theLook Good Feel Better Campaign(LGFB) we have in the US. If you haven't heard of either organization, they host workshops to teach women with cancer how to put makeup on. I know it sounds vain but looking good does make you feel better. Perhaps all it takes is a fresh swipe of lipgloss or an extra coat of mascara but for those going through chemotherapy its usually not that easy to feel that confident in their looks.
LGFB hosts two-hour, hands-on workshop at comprehensive care clinics, hospitals, ACS offices, and community centers, local group programs are organized by the American Cancer Society, facilitated by LGFB-certified cosmetologists, and aided by general volunteers.Each workshop includes a 12-step skin care/make-up application lesson, demonstration of options for dealing with hair loss, and nail care techniques. Patients in various stages of treatment receive make-over tips and personal attention from professionals trained to meet their needs. They also use and take home complimentary cosmetic kits in their appropriate skin tones (light, medium, dark, extra dark) with helpful instruction booklets. Professional advice is provided on wigs, scarves and accessories. (Teen sessions also include social and health tips.) More than 50,000 individuals participate each year in small groups of five to ten, offering each patient a supportive circle, as well. Group programs represent the highest level of expertise available (the “gold standard”) in LGFB services.
So a big thank you goes out to Heidi Klum for supporting DKMS Life in Germany and giving something back.

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Meet Carter...Our Little Warrior

Michele Guest Blogs

Hello All!
My name is Michele, and I am relatively new to the Donor Recruitment team.
So far I have LOVED the several months that I have been at DKMS. DKMS is such a uniquely special organization. In fact, it would be very hard for someone NOT to be energized by its cause and ultimate goal: to get as many people as possible on the National Registry, and in doing so, increasing the chance that as many patients as possible can find their life-saving matches. Every person at DKMS works towards that noble goal in their own way.

(thats me Michele)
One of the real highlights of working here, and perhaps my favorite part, is that we get to interact and correspond with truly special people on a daily basis. Donors in general are extraordinarily special people. They each want to contribute to society in this very powerful way and they all want the opportunity to save a life. Donors are virtually selfless.
Meeting and getting to know patients is extremely rewarding and fulfilling as well! Adults and children, who have suffered and continue to suffer with leukemia and different blood diseases and cancers, are determined fighters! The human spirit is remarkably resilient, and our potentially limitless capacity for resiliency is evident in so many stories and in so many patients that DKMS gets to know. One such patient that DKMS is looking forward to meeting is Carter Brotherton.

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