Raising money for thymus transplant
Before my son, Mitch, was born I had no idea anything was wrong with my pregnancy. There were some definite clues as I had a high-risk pregnancy, but nothing could have prepared my husband and I for the journey we were facing. Mitch came into this world with a bang by needing an emergency c-section. He then needed 5 days in the hospital to address his heart, calcium and feeding issues. After 5 days we were able to come home. We were glad that was over and thought we could rest and recuperate while we processed all the information we received at the hospital. We had no idea this was just the beginning.
Then my phone started ringing, and it didn’t stop. Doctors were calling. Doctors I’ve never heard of. We were driving to specialty pharmacies to pick up medicines and special formula and bottles. We were going in for blood draws. A medical journey was unfolding that I was very unfamiliar with. Before having Mitch, I actually had no idea that doctors personally called you. I had no idea how my world was going to change and how much these doctors were to be like my family. Finally at 10 days old, our world stopped when we received the call from an immunologist. He said he hated to do this over the phone, but we needed to hear this now. My son’s tcell count was zero. We were told my son had no tcells and no working thymus gland. I was told we needed to disinfect our house immediately and we could not have any visitors over. We were to see our immunologist in clinic but no one else. He told us that without tcells, my son could not survive a simple cold virus and that my son needed a thymus transplant. Without a thymus transplant, my son would not survive. We were so overwhelmed. I mean, who even knows what a thymus is anyway?
We were blind-sided by this news but it was not delivered without hope. We were told there was this one doctor and there is a wait, but there is treatment. The treatment is expensive and experimental.
We were surprised to learn, there was just one place in the U.S. and that place was Duke University Medical Center. And at Duke was this one doctor, Louise Markert, and her team. We were given so much hope and could not wait to get to Duke. Our journey to Duke was complicated with many surgeries, blood draws, blood transfusions and being in-patient in the hospital for many long months. But at 2.5 months old, Mitch had his thymus transplant at Duke. August 8th, 2006 is the day my son was given a chance at life. For those that know Mitch may have never guessed his fight for life early on in life. His transplant was successful and he has been able to live life with minimal restrictions. Up until COVID, he attended public school like any other kid. The thymus transplant was so successful that it no longer receives research money. It has been proven to work and hopefully FDA approval in the near future. Meanwhile, I am raising money for Duke’s thymus program so that others awaiting transplant are given the same chance for life.
Gifts to support Duke’s pediatric thymus program will support life-saving transplants and advance important research to help transplant patients across the world. Donations are tax deductible. Thanks for your support!
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