REMOVING BARRIERS – Aaron & Ryan’s Story

(Updated: May 27, 2023)

Hollywood, Florida

 When we first learned about Marelyn and her twin boys, they needed financial assistance. Both boys, Aaron and Ryan, were both diagnosed with sickle cell disease and they were scheduled to receive a bone marrow transplant.

This is what we do.

The Icla da Silva Foundation assists patients on their journey to receive a bone marrow transplant. For patients demonstrating financial need, we provide grants during treatment.

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But when we met, we discovered that this was their second transplant. The boys had already received a stem cell transplant from their mom last year. Due to complications, they needed another one. 

It Was a Difficult Situation

As a single mom, Marelyn has been unable to work, She was the devoted caregiver for two 8-year-old boys with a blood disease. She has been without income for an extended period.

She was in a very difficult situation. 

Marelyn was alone, afraid, and unsure of the outcome. With sickle cell disease, the boys have lived in pain for years. They had already been through treatment and transplant, and now they needed to do it all over again.

Watch Mom try to explain some of her challenges. It’s a very hard thing to ask for help.

Emotional Support

We were happy to provide the family with a grant while the twins were in treatment. We helped with housing, transportation, and support for meals. But, Marelyn needed more.

She needed emotional support, someone to talk with who could understand her challenges. She needed a shoulder to lean on.

We have been speaking with Marelyn 2-3 times a week in the months before the boys’ second transplant. Days, evenings, and weekends; it didn’t matter. We wanted to help her get through this ordeal and understand that she is not alone.

At the very least, we wanted to provide her with hope.

The 2nd Bone Marrow Transplant Was a Success

The boys have received their second bone marrow transplant. Once again, their mom was the donor.

UPDATE: The boys are doing well and we received a quick update from their mother…look at them now!

We want Marelyn to have high hopes for their future. We wish the boys a full life.

Thanks for reading. You can support more patient families like Marelyn, Aaron, and Ryan with a donation. Even the smallest gift can make a huge impact on life during treatment.

Together, we will continue to make a difference for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant.

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Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS: Jake’s Story

Columbia Station, Ohio

Meet Jake and his sister Bella.

Jake is a brave boy who fought a difficult journey with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). After being diagnosed with this aggressive form of blood cancer, he received treatment and went into remission. But then he relapsed and urgently needed a bone marrow transplant.

Luckily, his younger sister Bella was a matching donor, and Jake received a transplant.

Throughout treatment, Jake and his family faced many hardships. These included the financial strain of his mom having to stop working, and the need to stay at a Ronald McDonald house to be close to the hospital.

During recovery, Jake experienced painful mucositis that made it hard for him to eat.

Thanks to the IclaCares program, Jake and his family received much-needed assistance with meals and groceries. Your support helped reduce some of the stress and allowed them to focus on Jake’s recovery.

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Join Icla Cares by Supporting Patients and Their Families

Jake is still in recovery.

He just celebrated his 16th birthday. We wish him many healthy, Happy Birthdays in the years ahead.

You can make a difference in the life of a patient like Jake by making a donation.

Your gift provides critical assistance, including meal support during treatment. Help us continue to provide comfort and support to a patient on their journey to receive a bone marrow transplant.

Thank you.

DONATE TODAY

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – Nasir’s Story

Hampton, Virginia

For nineteen years, Nasir lived a life filled with pain and uncertainty due to sickle cell disease. His mother SueAnn, watched helplessly as her son endured countless complications, blood transfusions, and pain crises.

She vividly remembers the first time Nasir woke up screaming in pain. He was only two months old and his little hands were swollen to the size of a man’s hands.

When she called the doctor, he said Nasir was going through a pain crisis and he prescribed morphine. She remembered thinking, “morphine, for my two-month-old baby, why is this happening?”

That was their struggle for 19 years.

They never knew when the next crisis would strike, or how severe it would be. It was a life filled with pain, uncertainty, and fear. Just like any mother would, SueAnn felt helpless and defeated.

Finding a Cure

Then on one fateful day, everything changed.

They met a doctor who recommended a bone marrow transplant, using stem cells from Nasir’s own body.

SueAnn was hesitant at first, but the doctor explained the process and the expected outcome.

SueAnn described this doctor as “an Angel,” and she suddenly felt full of hope.

With renewed faith, she knew her son Nasir’s life was about to change.

An Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant

Using an autologous bone marrow transplant to treat sickle cell disease is relatively new. The process uses stem cells from your own body, so it doesn’t rely on a matching donor. But it comes with potential complications and challenges.

Nasir went through the treatment, and although it’s still early, his transplant was successful.

SueAnn felt like her sister Lisa, who had passed away from sickle cell disease one year ago, was watching over them and helping guide Nasir through his transplant.

Receiving Support from the Icla da Silva Foundation

As a single mother, SueAnn admits that the process was hard on them.

She could not work because she needed to be with her son during his treatments and transplant. Fortunately, the Icla Cares program provided financial assistance for gas, utilities, and groceries while Nasir was in treatment.

SueAnn is grateful for the support they received. She talked about the strain they endured.

She told us that the Icla da Silva Foundation gave her son joy. After learning about the support, Nasir wasn’t just happy for himself but “excited for the other families who are able to receive a happy, healthy, healed life.”

You Can Help

If you feel inspired by this story about Nasir, please consider donating to the Icla da Silva Foundation. We remove barriers to treatment by providing financial support for expenses during treatment and transplant.

Your gift will remove barriers for a patient in need during their bone marrow transplant.

DONATE TODAY

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – Matthew’s Story

Beeville, Texas

Matthew is a devoted college advisor in a small town in Texas.

Last January, he was forced to put his passion for education aside when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia.

Over the past year, Matthew has endured many rounds of chemotherapy, multiple biopsies, and CAR-T cell therapy. He and his wife Krystal were forced to relocate so he could be closer to the transplant center to prepare for his bone marrow transplant. They left behind their home and the students Matthew had devoted his career to guiding.

Fortunately, Matthew had his wife Krystal by his side as his full-time caregiver.

This January, he finally received his bone marrow transplant.

Forever Grateful

Matthew tells us he will be “forever grateful” for the Icla Cares program. The Icla da Silva Foundation provided Matthew with financial assistance for lodging, gas, and groceries while he was in treatment. 

Thanks to our donors for making financial support possible. 

In addition to helping him overcome financial hardships related to his bone marrow transplant, Matthew says we made him feel like he was never alone.

You Can Help a Patient in Need

Today, Matthew is in remission, and the couple can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

But they know there are others out there fighting the same battle. Many do not have the support they require.

That’s why the Icla da Silva Foundation is asking for your help.

Too many patients are delaying treatment because of related expenses. While preparing for a bone marrow transplant, the cost of housing, transportation, and meals are not covered by insurance.

Your donation can make a difference.

Your gift will ensure relief for a patient like Matthew on his journey to a cure.

DONATE TODAY

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – Larissa’s Story

Winchester, Virginia

“Your foundation has saved my home, helped my children, and myself. I am just so grateful.”

Larissa’s life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in 2018. As a single mother, her world was turned upside down while battling a life-threatening disease.

She received a bone marrow transplant, but unfortunately, there were complications. Larissa was forced to undergo a second transplant in March.

One month before her scheduled transplant, Larissa received an eviction notice.

This added to the financial and emotional strain of her situation. Larissa has been unable to work due to her illness, and she had been in and out of the hospital with various infections and complications.

She was worried about her family.

Despite applying for assistance from other foundations, she received no response.

Icla Cares Supports A Patient in Need

When the Icla da Silva Foundation learned about Larissa’s situation, the Icla Cares program immediately stepped in to provide both financial and emotional assistance for her family. We paid her landlord to prevent eviction and provided emotional support to help her cope with the mental toll of her disease.

Thanks to our support, Larissa was able to focus on treatment and receive her bone marrow transplant.

Maintaining Close Contact

Adriana, an Icla Cares team member, kept in close contact with Larissa to provide a listening ear and a friendly voice whenever she needed it.

We want patients to know that they are never alone.

Adriana’s words of empathy and understanding helped lift Larissa’s spirits during some of her darkest moments.

Larissa,

Remember to call me anytime that you need to talk to someone. I am here for you. I am not a licensed therapist, but I consider myself a good friend. I am just a call away.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Adriana

You Can Make a Difference

Join us in our mission to remove financial barriers for patients who require a bone marrow transplant. Your gift can make all the difference in the world to a patient like Larissa.

Your donation will provide critical financial assistance to those who are struggling with out-of-pocket costs during treatment.

Together, we will help patients like Larissa focus on treatment and overcome the challenges caused by illness. Click on the button below to make a difference today.

donate today

Larissa reminds us to “be thankful and be grateful. Hold your babies tight and cherish every single second…as we all know, tomorrow is not promised.”

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – Terry’s Story

Winfield, MO

When Terry was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, he was devastated. It started with a visit to the doctor for kidney troubles, and before he knew it, he was faced with a life-threatening illness. His doctor recommended chemotherapy treatments and a bone marrow transplant.

But Terry had some major obstacles. 

He and his family lived an hour away from the nearest transplant center. Relocating for treatment wasn’t a viable option. His daughter, who is disabled, relied on him for both physical and emotional support.

Terry was faced with an impossible choice – skip his bone marrow transplant or risk leaving his daughter without the care she needed.

Providing Life-Saving Financial Support 

That’s when Icla Cares stepped in. We provided the family with the financial assistance they needed to make the transplant possible. With our support, Terry was able to cover the cost of transportation, groceries, and even feed for their emotional support animals.

Thanks to our help, Terry received his life-saving bone marrow transplant. His social worker, Claire Pees at Saint Louis University Hospital, said that “the Icla da Silva Foundation made his transplant possible.“

Terry can now look forward to many more years with his family. He can focus on healing and being there for his daughter, knowing that he has a second chance at life.

You Can Help

There are still many patients like Terry who are struggling to afford the costs associated with life-saving treatments. With your support, we can provide critical financial assistance to patients in need.

Please consider a donation and help us support more patients like Terry. Your gift will make a difference and help save a life.

DONATE TODAY

Thank you for your support!

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – Braxston’s Story

Jacksonville, Florida

Little Braxston is only two-years-old. He recently received a bone marrow transplant to treat neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells.

When a patient receives a bone marrow transplant, they celebrate a second “birthday”. It signifies a new beginning!

We were happy that his mom shared photos of that adorable smile.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it can be a difficult journey. His family had to travel 70 miles to receive treatment. This is an added expense that wasn’t planned for.

For his parents, every day off work is a day unpaid.

The Icla Cares program provided financial assistance for transportation and groceries on his journey to receive a transplant.

His mom Amber expressed tremendous gratitude from their family:

“The fund helped us a lot. It allowed us to make sure we had transportation to and from Braxston’s appointments [to receive his bone marrow transplant]. It also helped us get his favorite snacks for transplant! Which he loved. It made him feel more like he was at home knowing he had comfort food.” -Amber

Braxston is scheduled to receive radiation and 6-months of immunotherapy. We wish him a full recovery and many more birthdays with his family.

You can assist a patient like Braxston by donating to the Icla da Silva Foundation. Your gift will assist a patient on their journey to receive a bone marrow transplant.

Please donate today. Together we will make a difference for more patients and their families.

DONATE TODAY

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – KAYALI’S STORY

Jacksonville, FL

Mom Dellesha, donor Makira, and stem cell recipient Kayali

Dellesha is the proud mother of five beautiful children. Her 3-year-old, Kayali, was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at birth.

Kayali needed a bone marrow transplant. All of her siblings were tested and 11-year-old Makira, the oldest (and the bravest), was considered the best candidate to donate bone marrow.

But the transplant center was 160 miles away.

Dellesha uprooted her family to be closer to the transplant center. She could not work during months of treatment, so she cut expenses by ending their lease and putting everything into storage.

Once the bone marrow transplant was scheduled, a social worker from the hospital registered Kayali’s family for support.

The Icla Cares program removed the family’s barriers with a grant for gas, groceries, and some of that storage during Kayali’s treatment and transplant.

Fortunately, the transplant was a success. 

Dellesha is grateful and has high hopes for their future.

She considers the Icla da Silva Foundation to be like family. While she was thankful to receive funds, she said she was very grateful for our concern. “I received so many texts, always asking how I was doing, how Kayali was. The Foundation is like family.”

Dellesha doesn’t like talking about what they went through, but she has heartfelt words for other patient families going through the same challenge:

“Have faith, because that’s what you’re going to need. Don’t give up Hope.”

You can help us support more patient families like Dellesha and her daughter. Even a small donation will help patients prepare for treatment with faith and hope.

PLEASE DONATE TODAY

Thanks.

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – ABBY’S STORY

Cleveland, Ohio

Abby is a mother of five. Her children are aged 19, 16, 5, 4, and 2. March 7th was her daughter’s 16th birthday. It was also the day Abby was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Abby recently received her bone marrow transplant at the Cleveland Clinic.

Her transplant was autologous, which means she didn’t need a donor. They remove and store healthy blood stem cells from the patient, destroy the diseased bone marrow with high doses of chemotherapy, and return the stored stem cells to replace the damaged bone marrow. 

Removing Barriers

Abby’s main barrier was transportation. She needed to visit the hospital every day to remove and store at least two million stem cells. This process was followed by intense chemotherapy treatments leading up to her transplant.

She has been out of work since her diagnosis. Her husband also had to take time off from work while she was in treatment. The hospital requires a 24-hour caregiver for at least 8 weeks; 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the transplant. 

The Family Medical Leave Act protects your job, but FMLA is unpaid, so the family was without income.

They were having difficulty affording travel. Their daily trip was an hour each way to the Cleveland Clinic to prepare for her bone marrow transplant. The cost of gas was a barrier.

The Icla da Silva Foundation removed her barrier with a grant for gas. 

When we interviewed Abby before her transplant, we offered additional support.

Please watch her reaction:

All bone marrow transplants have one thing in common, the recovery process takes a long time. It could be a year until her immune system recovers.

Due to the generosity of our donors, we were able to provide the Ramos family with an additional grant to help with utilities and meals during Abby’s follow-up treatment.

“How Am I Supposed to Do This?”

We asked Abby about the impact we have made.

She told us, “if someone could take away just one thing off the list of things to worry about while I go through my cancer treatment, that would mean the world to me. The Icla da Silva Foundation did that for me. You gave me one less sleepless night, one more hour I get to spend with my kids without worrying about making this happen, one less guilt trip because I couldn’t do this on my own.” – Abby Ramos

We wish Abby a full recovery.

You Can Help

Please consider a donation so we can help more patients like Abby. 

Cancer puts the patient in a life-threatening situation. Preparing for and receiving a bone marrow or cord blood transplant presents barriers that are not often recognized. 

The goal of the Icla da Silva Foundation is to remove some of those barriers so patients can focus on their treatment.

Your gift will help us remove more barriers.

In Abby’s words, “…I couldn’t do this on my own.”

PLEASE DONATE

Written by: Bret Itskowitch

REMOVING BARRIERS – MARK’S STORY

Seattle, Washington

It all started when he was admitted into the emergency room in November 2021 with COVID-19. 

Something wasn’t right, and further testing led to a diagnosis of MDS, myelodysplastic syndrome. MDS is a fatal disease caused by a disruption in the production of blood cells.

Although rare, Mark was familiar with MDS.

His father received the same diagnosis many years ago. At that time, his father was considered too old for treatment. They sent him home to get his affairs in order, and he passed away 18 months later.

After several bone marrow biopsies, Mark was admitted to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. He was fortunate to receive a bone marrow transplant from his brother Dave, who was a 10-out-of-10 match.

Mark received his blood stem cell transplant in June and is recovering. 

Identifying Barriers

Due to complications following the transplant, he needed to remain in Seattle longer than expected for follow-up treatment. The hospital requires patients to stay within 30 minutes of the Cancer Care Clinic, but Mark lives outside of Seattle. 

With daily appointments, the travel would have been too much for him. He insists it could have ended his life.

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has a Cancer Care House, which they offer to patients at a discounted rate. Mark and his wife had already exhausted their medical leave and depleted their savings. They have been paying their bills, essentially holding two homes – their regular home and their hospital home – while receiving cancer treatment. 

They weren’t sure how they would afford it, but they didn’t have a choice.

Removing Barriers – Icla Cares

A social worker from the hospital reached out to the Icla da Silva Foundation and submitted a request for assistance. Lodging during treatment for a bone marrow transplant is one of those barriers that is not covered by medical insurance. The goal of the Icla Cares program is to remove some of those barriers.

Thanks to our generous supporters, we were able to help Mark with a grant for lodging during his follow-up treatment. 

His cancer is currently in remission.

Mark told us he will be “forever grateful”, but we just want him to recover so he can return home and be a grandfather to his 20 grandchildren.

Please watch Mark Share his heartfelt story below.

The Icla da Silva Foundation has been supporting patients in need of a bone marrow transplant for 30 years. The Icla Cares program removes barriers for patients with critical needs.

Our program is reliant on the generosity of donors. Please consider donating to support patients who require a bone marrow or cord blood transplant.

No gift is too small.

DONATE

Thank you.

Written by: Bret Itskowitch