On the line: Up Front Costs
Photo: “House” by Tax Credits
Katie has significant expenses, as she will need to re-locate near the transplant center for 3 months. Her rent at home is $800/month. Though she can be reimbursed $1,500/month for lodging at the transplant center from insurance, she needs to come up with the money up front and does not have it….The patient is in desperate need of funding to help pay for her portion of lodging ($1,500 for 3 months = $4,500)
Katie’s doctors decided that an allogeneic transplant was the best course of treatment for her aplastic anemia. In addition to housing, she also listed transportation and co-pays/insurance premiums as her areas of greatest need.
In order to give a more clear idea of the depth of need faced by bone marrow, stem cell, and cord blood transplant patients and their families, we are sharing excerpts from actual applications to The Bone Marrow Foundation’s Patient Aid Program. The names have been changed to maintain confidentially, but the stories are straight from the applications.
To learn how you can make a gift to support the Foundation’s efforts to help transplant patients and their families, click here.
Patient Art Show
Michele Russell
April 29 was a very special evening at The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Patient Art Show, a four-day exhibit sponsored by The Society’s Patient Art Show Committee and the Patient Recreation Department.
Michele Russell, a survivor and a speaker at one of The Bone Marrow Foundation’s past galas, and Duane Bailey-Castro, a Bone Marrow Foundation patient and survivor, showcased their artwork. Michele has a mural business and Duane is a Social Science teacher for 6th and 7th grade in a private New York City school.
Duane Bailey-Castro
“Seeing their paintings and photography was so inspiring,” said The Bone Marrow Foundation’s Executive Director, Christina Merrill. “I am thrilled to have their artwork on our walls because they are so meaningful to the Foundation.”
No hair, don’t care!
Julie Mueller – a seamstress, bibliophile, fishing enthusiast, loving dog rescuer, and wonderful mother of one daughter and one Corgi – recently underwent a stem cell transplant in February for stage III multiple myeloma.
Julie and Miranda after their new do
As an act of support, Julie’s daughter, Miranda, promised she would shave her hair when the time came. Eventually, Julie began losing her hair in handfuls, so they sent for the hairdresser. Julie shaved off about 6 inches of hair and Miranda shaved off 11 inches, all of which Miranda donated to Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.
Miranda and friends watching on
For added encouragement as they were chopping their tresses off, Miranda turned to her friends in Paris – where she had been living for six months before moving back to the United States to be Julie’s caregiver. Via video chat, Miranda’s friends supportively watched as Julie and Miranda got their hair buzzed.
Both Julie and Miranda are being incredibly positive and have expressed thanks to everyone who has been helping them through their journey.
