Mary Robinson has a new lease-on-life after receiving a life-saving stem cell transplant.  The transplant cured her of acute myeloid leukaemia — a life threatening condition that kills thousands of people each year.  The procedure was performed at Nebraska Medicine’s Fred & Pamela Buffet Cancer Center.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a very aggressive form of blood cancer.  It occurs when myeloid cells interfere with the normal production of platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells.  The symptoms of AML include fatigue, shortness of breath, infections, and bruising. 

AML can be treated with chemotherapy, drug therapy, and stem cell therapy.  Stem cells are often used to re-establish the body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells after receiving high-dose chemotherapy treatments. 

Mary was originally diagnosed as having AML in late 2014.  Her cancer went into remission in September of 2014, but returned in May of this year.  She received chemotherapy once more and entered remission in June.  However, doctor’s told her that her cancer would return unless she received a stem cell transplant. 

A stem cell transplant would “reset” the blood cell-forming stem cells found in her bone marrow.  After the treatment, he myeloid cells would behave normally, allowing her body to produce other types of blood cells.

Mary’s doctors looked for a bone marrow match on Be The Match — the world’s largest stem cell registry.  She was a match with a man living in Germany.

Doctors began giving Mary multiple rounds of chemotherapy.  These treatments would kill the stem cells in her bone marrow, including the mutated cells that caused her AML.  Once those cells had been killed, she would receive the stem cell transplant of healthy stem cells.  Mary is very grateful for the stem cells that were provided by her donor and happy to be given another chance at life.

Source: FPS teacher making strides following stem cell transplant

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