On February 3/12 - I was diagnosed with a life threatening - rare blood disorder called Aplastic Anemia.
February 23/12 - I started an Immunosuppressive therapy * ATG ( Infusion of horse derived Anti-bodies) & Cyclosporine*. It will take 3-6 mths to see if this treatment is working meanwhile they are trying to find a donor for a possible bone marrow transplant.
Bone Marrow Transplant
Siblings only have a 25% chance of being a match. Both of my sisters were tested and unfortunetly they are not a match. They are TRYING to find an unrelated donor on the international registry list.
PLEASE consider donating stem cells. You coud be giving a NEW BIRTHDAY to individuals just like me - around the world !
Here is the website to get more information about One Match ( stem cell and marrow network ) http://www.onematch.ca/
USA - http://marrow.org/Home.aspx
**** You could potentially help me or any other person in need of a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant by making a stem cell donation. I would like to stress that it is very easy to donate ( a few minutes of your time) as it is simply a visit to the www.onematch.ca site where there will be a short quiz on what stem cell donation is, then a questionnaire on personal information etc. Please see the link below.
If you are a qualified donor, OneMatch will send a swab kit to your home where you perform DNA samples from the inside of your cheek via buccal swabs. You can do this in the privacy of your home whenever you have the time without having to book an appointment at a clinic. You will then mail the samples back to them and IF EVER you are a match to someone, they will then contact you and ask if you would want to donate stem cells. At this time you would need to donate at a clinic nearby if you would like.
This data will now go into a OneMatch registry and be part of a network of databanks that include 18 million people in 44 countries worldwide.
Massive numbers like that are required because stem-cell matches are determined according to DNA markers on white blood cells called human leucocyte antigens. There are 10 HLAs and, ideally, all 10 should match for the donor and recipient to minimize the risk of a transplant being rejected.
“It’s like trying to find someone with the same fingerprint as you,” said John Bromley, national public-affairs manager at OneMatch. “It’s the proverbial search for a needle in a haystack.”
At any given time, about 900 Canadians are awaiting a stem-cell transplant. Only about one-third of them will manage to find a match.
Blood Donation
Between February 1st and March 20/12 - I have recevied 11 Platelet tranfusions & 7 Red blood transfusions.
PLEASE consider donating blood - you WILL be saving lifes.
You can visit the Canadian Blood Services at www.blood.ca
USA - http://www.redcrossblood.org/
What is Aplastic Anemia?
The bone marrow drastically cuts down on its production of all types of blood cells (red, white, and platelets). Aplastic actually means "a failure in development."
There are 2 to 12 new cases for every million people each year.
Dr. Paul Ehrlich, a famous German pathologist, first identified the condition in 1888 after studying the case of a pregnant woman who died of bone marrow failure. In 1904, the disorder was termed aplastic anemia.
My goal is to raise $500.00.
Please HELP me raise money for research by donating online through this fundraiser page - all donations by credit card are secure and sent directly to APLASTIC ANEMIA & MDS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION,INC. who will email you a printable record of your donation.
I will also accept offline donations for those who can't donate online - Contact me for more information.
You can also purchase awareness ribbon bracelet. (Hand crafted by Melinda Cummings)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/94290300/zombie-survival-bracelet-tm-aplastic
http://www.etsy.com/listing/95524703/zombie-survival-bracelet-tm-bone-marrow
Please send my page on to anyone who might like to donate!
Thank you <3
- Ashley