Health & Fitness

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A Godsend

Local group educates and supports
stem cell transplant patients,
their families and caregivers.

Bone marrow transplant recipient Sandy Weiss, foreground, and Executive
Director of Bone Marrow Transplant Southfield Link Myra Jacobs

Judith Doner Berne

Special to the Jewish News

A

stranger's story of the experi-
mental bone marrow transplant
she endured in the early 1980s
did more than touch Myra Jacobs' heart.
It compelled her to start the Southfield-
based National Bone Marrow Transplant
Link (nbmtLINK) to provide hands-on
information and support services to stem
cell transplant patients, their caregivers,
families and the health care community.
Transplants used to be the only treat-
ment for blood cancers such as leukemia,
lymphoma, multiple myeloma and some
solid tumor cancers, according to Jacobs.
Today, people with immune deficiency
disorders, sickle cell or aplastic anemia
may also benefit. At the same time, new

therapies have been developed so that for
some a transplant is no longer the only
option.
"Our emphasis is not on marrow
recruitment:' said Jacobs, a lively wife,
mother and grandmother from West
Bloomfield. "We're like a complement to
the medical care — we provide the car-
ing. We've heard from people on seven
continents and every state.
"We serve globally, but we started 14
years ago here in Michigan!"

The Beginning

It was hearing Sandy Weiss recount the
night she kissed her 2-year-old daughter,
Emily, goodbye — not goodnight — and
left for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center in Seattle that set Jacobs'
future path.

Weiss, a Huntington Woods resident
A new online resource library provides
who works as a medical technician, had
easy access to information and includes
chronic myelogenous leukemia. "I thought links to a variety of health and emotional
I was suffering from depression, then I
support organizations at
thought I had the flu," Weiss recounted.
www.nbmtlink.org.
"I basically found out doing my own lab
Educational forums are held annu-
work!"
ally in Michigan and have also been
Her doctor presented two options —
held in New York City and Houston. Next
three to five years survival, or a bone mar- spring, a three-part series, "Survivorship:
row transplant if she could find a donor. "I Facing Forward;' is scheduled at the Troy
was fortunate enough that my sister was a
Community Center.
match."
Weiss was away from her children for
Expanding Web
four months, enduring intensive chemo-
Last month, Judy McCarthy, widow of
therapy and radiation that many do not
the late Detroit radio personality J.P.
survive. And then she didn't know whether McCarthy, led off an "Executive Women's
her body would reject the transplant. •
Breakfast," designed to raise awareness of
"It wasn't pleasant!" Weiss said, in some- the organization and showcase stories of
thing of an understatement. "They take
bone marrow/stem cell transplant survi-
you down to nothing. They have to wipe
vors. It was held at Birmingham Temple in
out everything in your system to kill all
Farmington Hills.
the cancer cells.
McCarthy's husband died in 1995, five
"I was a guinea pig. Had there been
weeks after he was diagnosed with myelo-
a support group or a video:' she said, it
dysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood
would have made a difference.
disease. He didn't have the opportunity to
Now, thanks to Jacobs, there is that and - undergo a transplant.
more. Three guidebooks target transplant
Now, as president of the J.P. McCarthy
patients, survivors and their caregivers.
Foundation, she raises funds to find a cure
A 45-minute, Emmy-award winning
for MDS and works closely with Jacobs.
film, The New Normal, Life After Bone
"Her dedication is amazing:' McCarthy
Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant, docu-
told the breakfast audience of nearly 50
ments the stories of six transplant survi-
women. "I don't believe in cloning, but in
vors and their caregivers. It was produced
this case Myra Jacobs doubled would be
by Sue Marx of Birmingham, Char DeWolf remarkable!'
of South Lyon and Allyson Rockwell of
Jacobs deflects the credit. "It was Sandy
Grosse Pointe Farms.
Weiss' determination and courage to get
The agency trains volunteers who have
well;' she says, introducing Weiss and her
journeyed through transplant and recov-
sister, Marian Silverman, from Farmington
ery as well as their caretakers who are
then available for peer support.
A Godsend on page 38

What's In A Term

It is now more accurate to use the term `"stem cell transplant" (SCT) rather
than bone marrow transplant (BMT). Originally, the procedure was called a
bone marrow transplant because direct collection from the bone marrow was
the first source of stem cells. Today, stem cell sources also include the periph-
eral (circulating) blood and cord blood collected from the placenta following
the birth of a baby. All cells used in transplant are stem cells, regardless of
their source. No embryonic cells are used.

--National Bone Marrow Transplant Link

November 30 2006

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