Fear becomes a constant companion when one害羞草研究所檚 child is desperately ill.
Kim Lahti-Scranton knows this all too well as her daughter Jane is fighting for her life at BC Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital.
As much as Jane害羞草研究所檚 journey is all-consuming, Kim is helping a desperate woman to get young people to donate bone marrow in order to find a better match for her son, Noah, who is in critical need of a bone marrow transplant 害羞草研究所� soon.
The Scranton family is living in Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Ronald McDonald House and shares a kitchen with 17-year-old Noah Stolte害羞草研究所檚 family.
Noah survived a first round of cancer when he was 10. In April, the family was given the terrifying news that he had relapsed.
害羞草研究所淗is mom thought they were going to find a match within family; they害羞草研究所檙e 100 per cent Dutch,害羞草研究所� says Kim, noting family members are usually the best choice, but his three sisters are only a 50 per cent match.
Out of the worldwide pool of donors, there are two people who are a 75 per cent genetic match and are being considered, one of whom lives in Europe. The lower the match, the more chance there is for complications and a less than optimal outcome.
There is a time crunch as Noah needs to have a transplant sometime in September and it can take a couple of months from registration to donation.
One of Kim害羞草研究所檚 nephews is an NHL player, who used his connections to help Noah害羞草研究所檚 aunt interest 85 people in becoming bone marrow donors in Edmonton.
Unable to get help from Canadian Blood Services to organize a similar drive in Vancouver because of staffing issues, Kim and Noah害羞草研究所檚 mother, Stacey VanderLee Stolte, went to a Vancouver Canadians game to raise awareness and hopefully encourage people to sign up to be on the registry for stem cell or bone marrow donation.
害羞草研究所淲e were met with a whole range of responses 害羞草研究所� from people who were incredibly receptive, to people who completely ignored us and everything in between,害羞草研究所� says Kim. 害羞草研究所淲e got some interesting comments like 害羞草研究所榥o kid would want my bone marrow, I害羞草研究所檝e done too many drugs,害羞草研究所� to other people saying no because they thought if they were a match that donating bone marrow would be too painful.害羞草研究所�
Dr. Lucy Turnham, a clinical associate who oversees the outpatient oncology clinic at BC Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital, has performed Jane害羞草研究所檚 procedures and says males between the ages of 17 and 35 are the best resource.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one of the most wonderful charitable donations you can do,害羞草研究所� Turnham says, noting many people never receive a call. 害羞草研究所淚t has a huge impact on a patient who has no other options.害羞草研究所�
Turnham explains that donors are educated before they do a swab. If they are told they are a match, they can still say no at any time. They then undergo further testing and maybe counselling at that point, and can still back out an any time.
害羞草研究所淚f they had said yes and the patient begins treatment to get rid of the diseased cells prior to transplant, and then the donor backs out, the patient害羞草研究所檚 life is at serious risk, so it is important to know what you are getting into before saying yes,害羞草研究所� Kim stresses. 害羞草研究所淚f the donor says yes to the procedure, they are told beforehand when the treatment would start and told when the last chance to back out would be.害羞草研究所�
Stem cell donations can be made in two ways: the donor is hooked to a machine with IVs in each arm. Blood is taken from one arm, stem cells are removed, the blood is replaced through the IV in the other arm where the body grows more stem cells.
Or, the donor is anesthetized, a needle is placed into the hip bone from the back and part of the bone marrow is sucked out.
害羞草研究所淵ou might be a little bit sore afterwards, but for less than 24 hours,害羞草研究所� Turnham says, noting women can be donors but not if they have been pregnant. 害羞草研究所淵oung bone marrow is more robust and we regenerate marrow and blood all the time.害羞草研究所�
Becoming a donor is not a speedy process for people living in smaller communities, but would-be donors can receive a swab kit through the mail and return it postage-free.
Marc Plante, a representative with the national office of Canadian Blood Services, says people can go to www.blood.ca and proceed to the Stem Cells tab at the top of the page.
害羞草研究所淚f you have an opportunity to save a life and just put up with a couple of days of discomfort, I would do it in a heartbeat,害羞草研究所� says Kim, who must also face the reality that Jane could one day be in the same dilemma. 害羞草研究所淚f most people had the opportunity to save a life, they would do it.害羞草研究所�
The Scrantons have been living at Ronald McDonald House for several months, while Jane receives treatment.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 as good as can be expected; she害羞草研究所檚 very compromised and we need to make sure she害羞草研究所檚 not exposed to anything,害羞草研究所� says Kim, noting the first, and this, the fourth phase of treatment, are considered to be the toughest. 害羞草研究所淪he has nothing to fight off infection.害羞草研究所�
There is another terrifying aspect to this disease.
As well as living with the fear of potential relapse, some of the chemo drugs being used to treat Jane increase the risk of heart disease and cause secondary cancer, neuro-cognitive issues and behavioural issues.
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 know if it害羞草研究所檚 coming or what it will be, but we don害羞草研究所檛 have a choice, we have to save her life now and deal with the consequences later,害羞草研究所� Kim says. 害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e just kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, for things to take a turn, it害羞草研究所檚 not fun.害羞草研究所� And while Jane will require a lot of follow-up assessment in the years to come, the tough little hero turns six on Aug. 12.
害羞草研究所淪he has everything she needs; I just want people to sign up for the bone marrow registry or donate blood,害羞草研究所� Kim says, noting she is grateful for the community害羞草研究所檚 support throughout the ordeal.
If you can害羞草研究所檛 donate but would like to help Jane celebrate, you can take birthday cards to the Salmar Grand Theatre where manager Daila Duford will make sure they get to their destination.
