Dear Friends and Family,

In February of 2022, my father was told by his local oncologist in VA that he had bone marrow cancer. Just how far the disease had progresed was unclear. My Dad’s local doctor thought it was MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome- the precursor to Acute Myeloid Lukemia) but the radiologist felt it was AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia, an aggressive disease with a survival rate of 28%). According to my Dad’s team in VA, he was right on the cusp with 19-20% blasts/cancer cells in his blood. Regardless, the doctor informed him “there is no cure.”

We are eternally grateful to his local team for finding the cancer, however, the clumsy manner in which this all played out, paired with the lack of confidence and differing opinions added profound distress to an already stressful situation. His life was on the line and we knew in our hearts we needed to seek a second opinion. After speaking with a friend of a friend, who walked a similar path, we knew there was only one place to turn. Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

In March of 2022, my father saw Dr. Eytan Stein (who would treat his leukemia) and Dr. Sergio Giralt (who would oversee his risky Bone Marrow- Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) . They shared with the utmost confidence my father had Acute Myeloid Leukemia. With the biopsy showing 30% blasts (vs the 19% found in VA), the AML was far more aggressive than we thought.

His new team at  MSK told us, the only hope for a cure was the Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) Transplant. While nothing was guaranteed, for the first time in weeks, we had hope. These doctors were the best in their field and we knew we would be in the very best hands at MSK.

So in April of 2022, we relocated my family from Richmond, VA to Manhattan for the next few months. I live and work full time in NYC but due to my demanding job, and the nature of my Dad’s cancer, we needed the whole family in NYC to support my Dad during this challenging time. We scrambled to find corporate housing for my Mom and brother- housing within close proximity to the hospital. The options were very limited and extremely expensive. We did what we had to do. 

My father checked into the MSK hospital for the next 30 days. The 1st week he underwent Vyxeous chemotherapy, the 2nd and 3rd weeks, his blood counts would drop, he would need blood transfusions and platelet transfusions (which were to be expected) and the 4th week his blood counts would recover.

Once my Dad’s cancer was in remission, we learned he had over 40 perfect bone marrow matches. We all cried tears of joy. Truly a miracle. We felt so lucky and grateful. While we couldn't be certain my Dad’s body would accept the new bone marrow and immune system, we knew we were trending in the right direction. 

During his 2nd hospital stay which was about 40 days, my Dad received more aggressive treatment with three types of chemotherapy (Fluderimen, Sulf and Melfin). The goal was to destroy his cancerous immune system and replace it with a donor's.

Thanks to a 20 something year old donor from oversees, my dad was given the gift of life and underwent a life saving Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) Transplant June 29th, 2022 (his new birthday). 

After the transplant, the uphill battle really began. My father was extremely weak (understatement), had next to no immune system and was prone to infections. He had countless blood and platelet transfusions and he had a few complications. At one point, my Dad was discharged but we ended up in the ER the very same evening with a 103 degree fever. He had a tricky bout of Legionairre’s pneumonia, and underwent a 7 hour Lobectomy to remove a cavity from the lower half of his right lung-  all of which delayed his overall progress and felt like a set back in terms of his strength and independence.

For the next 3 months, doctors orders were to live within an hour of the hospital and not in BK or Long Island- no crossing bridges. Dr. Giralt told my Dad “if you give me the next year of your life, you can have the rest.”

From June-September, my Mom and Dad would live in my 1 Bedroom NYC apartment. Corporate housing was simply too expensive and insurance continues to deny coverage for their housing.

During this time, my parents went to MSK for daily doctors appointments, and lived in almost complete isolation. After 3 months, my father was able to go home to Virginia. He would only had to come up every other week for appointments and bloodwork. His lungs were healing, his blood work was improving.

In June, my Dad had a TIA stroke. While this felt like another step backwards, he is in physical therapy, and building his strength, endurance and balance one day at a time.

I'm so grateful to share that as of August of 2023, my father is in complete remission making him a two time cancer survivor. He still comes to NYC every few months to see his team of doctors but we are grateful every day he continues to improve. Next week, he has his one year bone marrow biopsy in NYC which will tell us if he is still in complete remission. They say once he reaches the 2 year mark, he will be out of the woods and we can take a breath. Until then, my Dad receives "baby chemo" 1 week a month for the next year. AML is an aggressive disease and this maintenance chemo is standard protocol.

So many of you have asked how you can help over the past year, and it’s been tough to help while the family has been displaced in NYC. The reality is my family could really benefit from financial support, which is difficult for my family to both request and accept. But after speaking with the founder of the Bone Marrow BMCF, I decided as their daughter to set up this website through The Bone Marrow and Cancer Foundation in NYC, to raise funds to help alleviate the cost burden this has placed on them.

For those who don’t know, my father is self-employed. He’s a work horse by nature and I imagine he may never retire. Even during his chemotherapy and Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) Transplant, he continued to make zoom calls, call prospects, close deals and work to support himself and his family. While my father is insured, the expenses of the past 14 months have taken a toll, and as you can imagine, the financial stress isn’t helpful or healthy for him. Any donated funds will help cover medical expenses (deductibles, co-pays, etc.), travel, and to help supplement his income, as well as recovery-related and living expenses. ALL donations through this website are tax deductible for you and tax-free for them.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your continued love, support, friendship and prayers.