Category Archives: Stem Cell Transplant

7:43am, Wed 12 Feb 2014 Manchester grandad 'saved' by newborn babies - last updated Wed 12 Feb 2014 David and Susan Pyne Photo: Chrisie Leading cancer experts at The Christie in Manchester have saved a 60-year-old grandfather's life by carrying out a successful umbilical cord stem cell transplant. David Pyne, from Baguley, underwent the transplant at the specialist cancer centre in September 2013 after exhausting all other treatment options for leukaemia. The father of four said: "I was truly amazed when my doctor at The Christie said we could use this option. "To think two newborns saved an old man's life is just marvellous and it's given me more time with my own grandchildren." Dr Mike Dennis, director of the haematology and transplant unit at The Christie, said: "Umbilical cord blood is very rich in stem cells, which being so immature has phenomenal regenerative powers. These were a great, alternative source of cells for David, in fact the only option, as after a worldwide search he had no other available donor. "Also, as the cord blood immune system is so immature, the recipient is able to accept the stem cells better and therefore accept less well-matched cells, making it easier … Continue reading →

4 hours ago Figure 1: Within a week of exposure to acidic culture conditions, white blood cells gave rise to clusters of cells expressing the pluripotency gene Oct4 (green). Credit: Haruko Obokata, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology What doesn't kill cells may make them strongeror considerably more flexible, at least. New findings from Haruko Obokata of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe and Charles Vacanti at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the United States suggest that exposing mouse cells to acidic stress can make them regress to an extremely developmentally immature state, transcending even that of embryonic stem (ES) cells. ES cells have the developmental capacity to form any tissue type in the body and this 'pluripotency' makes them of great interest to both scientists and clinicians. As these cells must be harvested from early-stage embryos, however, human ES cell research remains a politically and ethically fraught issue. As an alternative, researchers can 'reprogram' adult cells into ES cell-like induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which offer the advantage of being genetically matched to their donoran important consideration for regenerative medicine. However, the generation of iPS cells typically requires the introduction of reprogramming genes, which may affect their function … Continue reading →

Oakville Beaver White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS) students are rallying together to find stem-cell donors to help save a life after being inspired by the story of a 24-year-old woman. Mississaugas Cristina DiCorte was diagnosed with mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy (MNGIE), a rare condition preventing her from being able to digest her own food. DiCorte currently gets all her nutrients through a catheter. A stem-cell transplant could help reduce the effects of MNGIE and prolong and give the woman a better quality of life. WOSS students have teamed up with OneMatch Stem Cell and the Marrow Network to host two swab events this weekend at Oakville Place, in front of Claires, 240 Leighland Ave. The events run Saturday (Feb. 15) from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday (Feb. 16) from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. There is a special donor registration need for ethnically-diverse males aged 17-35, in good general health. The goal is to add more optimal donors to the OneMatch Network with a simple swab of the inside cheek from donors and a brief health questionnaire. While there are more than 325,000 Canadians currently registered on the OneMatch Network, there are still approximately 1,000 patients searching for a matching stem-cell donor. Currently, … Continue reading →

Published: Sunday, February 9, 2014 at 4:30 a.m. Last Modified: Saturday, February 8, 2014 at 10:56 p.m. An avid runner, tennis player and rollerblader, Massagee's journey began nearly 10 years ago, when she began to notice her body slowly change, and included an endless parade of doctors, chemptherapy and a risky stem cell transplant. Over time, Massagee's muscles grew larger. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing for an athletic woman in her early 50s, but as people age they tend to lose, not gain, muscle mass. Then her muscles began to harden and tighten, causing her significant pain. Her husband, Buddy, a Hendersonville attorney, declared one day that something just wasn't right. Massagee had become so muscular that some in her social circle silently wondered if she was taking steroids to bulk up. She looked more like a professional body builder than an active mother of five. As her muscles continued to harden and tighten, physical activity became more and more difficult. Massagee sought medical treatment from at least a dozen doctors, including the best of the best at Duke University Medical Center in Durham. After batteries of tests over several years, not a single doctor could tell Massagee what … Continue reading →

Cancer has been a painful part of Radka Lakosilovas life. From four cycles of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, to losing weight, hair and friends, shes felt every moment. But the pain she feels is secondhand. Its her 18-year-old daughter, Daniela Lakosilova, who has battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia for seven years. Radka and her husband, Petr Lakosil, who donated his stem cells for Danielas 2009 transplant, have been there for every doctors appointment, surgery and treatment. They were there when she relapsed and her boyfriend broke up with her because it was too much for him to handle. They were there to make sure her dress fit perfectly for the homecoming dance, despite her fluctuating weight. Being a cancer caregiver to someone you love so much is the hardest thing, Radka said. Not being able to make the pain go away the nausea, the emotions, the stress. Radka said she does her best to wear a brave face for Daniela and Petr, the softy of the family, but in at least two places, shes only human. I cry in the shower or when Im driving alone, she said. One parent has to be the tough one. Though, she added, … Continue reading →

; Hannah Day needs a life saving stem-cell transplant. Her family is not a match. A sad update to the story of four-year-old Hannah Day. Hannah lives in Victoria and has been in and out of hospital for most of her short life. She has leukemia andandits the second timein as many years that she is battling cancer. The Day family went public just after Christmas to try and find a stem-cell donor for Hannah. Thousands of people from around the province rallied behind the Day family who finally got their wish, a perfect match. But doctors say the little girl has gone through too much radiation to successfully have a stem-cell transplant, leaving her family with the choice of palliative care or a risky transplant next month that has a 60 per cent chance of success. Canada currently has 326,000 people who are already registered as potential stem-cell donors. Hannah is one of 750 Canadians who are currently awaiting a stem-cell transplant. To become a stem-cell donoryou can fill out a questionnaire onlineif youre between the ages of 17 and 35, and youll be sent a kit in the mail. A swab of your cheeks will reveal if youre … Continue reading →

SEATTLE, Wash. A special drive to raise awareness about the need for bone marrow volunteers is planned for Super Bowl Sunday. Julie Guillot's 9-year-old son, Zach, has been battling a rare form of childhood leukemia nearly half his young life. We met her outside Seattle Children's Hospital where he is recuperating from his third stem cell transplant. Two of his stem cell donors are so-called 'stranger' donors. Guillot moved her family to Seattle from Dallas for the world-class treatment at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Now she is hoping his story will entice others to join the bone marrow donors registry. "We really want Zach's experience to be for a higher purpose," said Guillot, her voice breaking. "We want to find a cure for Zach but we want his story to inspire other people to enter the bone marrow registry, donate their (umbilical) cords, even donating blood." The bone marrow drive is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow - yes, Super Bowl Sunday --at the Arena Sports Hangar at Magnuson in Seattle. They promise it takes just a few minutes to get a mouth swab to sign up. Continued here: Bone marrow drive set for Super Bowl Sunday … Continue reading →

Meaford Express By Junior Kindergarten, Katie Star Herron had already beat cancer once. By 4-years-old, she had been through 25 months of intense treatment for leukemia, including lumbar punctures, bone marrow aspirations, chemotherapy, steroids and more time at the hospital than at home. She received her last does of chemotherapy in September 2012 and was in remission. But the cancer is back, and now her family is reaching out everywhere they can to find a stem cell donor for Katie. A stem-cell transplant is her only hope. In some cases, about 30 per cent, there's a compatible donor in the family somewhere. Katie lives with her parents in Cambridge, but she has extended family in Meaford. Katie's grandparents Georgina (Sewell) and Glenn Hodgkinson grew up in Meaford and they are hoping there might be family left in town who can help their little granddaughter. One Match is a Canadian registry connected to an international network of stem-cell and bone marrow donor registries, and the family of Katie has arranged for a cheek-swabbing clinic in Cambridge on Saturday, February 22 at the Cambridge Sports Park at 1001 Franklin Boulevard from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The other option for people in … Continue reading →

Posted: Friday, January 31, 2014 8:21 am T-shirt sales benefit Gift of Life , Post-Bulletin staff Post-Bulletin Company, LLC A grateful patient from North Dakota, who is currently staying at Gift of Life Transplant house after an autologous stem-cell transplant, has started a short-term fundraising campaign as a way to give thanks to Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester. She has organized a supply of "I Love Transplants" T-shirts, but must get at least 50 orders before the company will be triggered to print the shirts. An online service is needed to view this article in its entirety. You need an online service to view this article in its entirety. Need an account? Create one now. kAmqJ %9FCD52J 27E6C?@@?[ c_ 925 2=C625J 366? C6BF6DE65]k^Am kAm%96 42>A2:8? 😀 D4965F=65 E@ =2DE ;FDE 2?@E96C EH@ 52JD]k^Am kAm!6@A=6 :?E6C6DE65 😕 A2CE:4:A2E:?8 42? 8@ E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E66DAC:?8]4@>^8:7E@7=:76EC2?DA=2?E9@FD6Qm9EEAi^^E66DAC:?8]4@>^8:7E@7=:76EC2?DA=2?E9@FD6k^2m]k^Am Thank you for reading 7 free articles on our site. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 7 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information. If you need help, please contact our office at 800-562-1758 . You need an online … Continue reading →

Milton Canadian Champion Anne Hodgkinson and Paul Herron are living every parents worst nightmare. Again. When their daughter Katie Herron, now four years old, battled cancer as a toddler, the fight for the little girls health was a private, family affair. The youngster endured many months of cancer treatment and battled her way back to a healthy recovery. That all changed last November. The Cambridge family doesnt worry about privacy anymore. Theyre now telling everyone they know Katies acute lymphoblastic leukemia is back. Katies life depends on it. Although the type of cancer that has taken hold of her body usually has a high success rate of responding to treatment, the girl is among the small percentage of children who cant beat the leukemia using standard treatment protocols. Katies only life-saving option now is to find a stem cell donor match. Weve got to find a match and weve go to find it soon, explained an emotionally-raw Hodgkinson, as she paced the hallways of Hamiltons McMaster Childrens Hospital, where Katie has lived since the fall. We have to find a match. She is fighting for her life. Its hoped a stem cell match would help reboot Katies blood by essentially … Continue reading →