[SLB]

Hi Janire,

I am a 37 year old that just had an 8 out 10 match SCT on the 6th of March. My story I'd a little different because that was the best match we could even after searching for 10 months and frankly I had run out of time. It was seize this opportunity with all its risks or face 100%certain death. My doctors always said it was a risk balance & once my MDS transformed to AML, we had to go for it. They told me an 8 out 10 was still a good match & that the cost of getting the stem cells from overseas donor alone was $50 000, & they wouldn't be paying for that if not worth it. I had 5 days of fludarabine, 1 day of mephalam then day of rest then stem cells next day. No radiation. On days plus 1,3,6& 11 I had methotextrate. Yesterday I was day +13 and had neutrophils of 0.16, which shows early signs of engraftment. My story is a long way off being over but thought I would tell you anyway. By the way I am not sure when my mismatch was, I didn't really understand & was too tired find out. Thought I was scared enough without knowing & sometimes ignorance is bliss especially when you look at statistics of this disease. Good luck with decision. Sharnie.