A 2nd Stem Cell Transplant, and a Chance at Life

A very nice story written from Oregon about a young lady only 22 years of age who needs a stem cell transplant. Amelia Worth was first diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML, same condition that Angel was diagnosed with) in 2003. After chemotherapy and radiation treatments, she had her own stem cells harvested (adult stem cells, peripheral blood) and transplanted this into her own marrow. The transplant worked and she went into remission in Feb 2004. Unfortunately, in mid 2005, her condition deteriorated and she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), which caused her bone marrow to stop producing blood cells effectively.

“The best donor would be a sibling, but I'm an only child,” Amelia Worth said. “So now we're trying to match my genetic markers with one of the seven potential donors my doctors have found.”

MDS is considered a pre-cursor to leukemia, which is why many of the symptoms are the same, but if she has a transplant and her body begins to produce blood cells more effectively, she could remain in remission. If the transplant doesn't work, or if she comes down with host-versus-graft disease (with someone else's stem cells), she could die. The situation is dire for most AML patients who develop MDS, and Amelia's doctors say her chance of survival is now about 19.8 percent.

Stem cell transplants are expensive procedures and the first transplant she went through used up most of her insurance money. Her friend who was suffering from leukemia came forward to pay for a new insurance policy before she died, which enabled Amelia to cover most of the medical costs for the second transplant. However, obtaining a matching stem cell unit is expensive and this cost is not covered by insurance.

“We're paying $1,500 for each test for a possible donor,” said the mother of the patient, Patricia Worth. (Cost of matching amongst 7 potential donors is 7x1500= USD 10,500!)

The biggest cost is the transplant, which alone has a price tag more than $500,000 at Oregon Health and Science University hospital in Portland. While their insurance, Blue Cross, will pay a great portion of the transplant cost, the Worths will be facing bills for around 20 percent of all medical costs, or for tests, procedures and consultations that aren't covered under the insurance policy.

I hope Amelia Worth finds a good match and makes it through her second transplant. She has a long way ahead of her.