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Ventura, Ca
Tami’s life took a harrowing turn when she received a leukemia diagnosis at the age of 39. It transformed her world into a fight for survival. Chemo and immunotherapy eventually put her in remission.
It was a fragile victory, but a victory nonetheless.
Fighting Two Cancers
Four years later, fate dealt another cruel blow. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. To make matters worse, blood tests revealed that the leukemia had returned.
Panic set in. Tami’s world turned upside down as she fought two cancers at once.
Through it all, her husband Tom was her rock. He was her biggest cheerleader, at her side every step of the way. But acting as a caregiver during treatment, while also taking care of their two children, meant less time at work.
Where Would They Get Help
There wasn’t enough money coming in to meet all of the out-of-pocket costs incurred during treatment.
A social worker at City of Hope, where Tami would receive her bone marrow transplant, mentioned a grant program called Icla Cares that might help ease their financial burden. Tami wasn’t working, and her husband’s reduced hours while she was in treatment meant they were walking a financial tightrope.
The Icla Cares Program Was a Lifeline
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Icla da Silva Foundation provided crucial support for Tami and her family. We helped fund housing during treatment to ease their heavy financial burden.
Tami’s breast cancer was removed, and her bone marrow transplant was a success.
“It was definitely a struggle for our entire family,” Tami shared, “but thanks to the incredible support from family, friends, and this amazing program from the Icla da Silva Foundation, we survived. Those funds were a huge blessing.”
Show Your Support
A cancer journey is a physical, emotional, and financial struggle. It’s a life-threatening battle for the patient that affects the entire family. When we remove financial barriers during treatment, we empower a family like Tami’s to focus on healing and look towards the future.
Please donate to support our mission and help a patient in their battle against blood cancer.
Your gift could provide housing assistance to a family battling cancer, just like it did for Tami’s family.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
Her Brother is Her HeroREMOVING BARRIERS: Mackenzie’s Story
Hoboken, New Jersey
After having dinner with some friends, Mackenzie developed stomach pains. Could it have been something she ate? The pain was so intense that she had to visit Urgent Care.
They recommended an over-the-counter acid blocker. It was probably gastritis.
But the pain didn’t go away. A few weeks passed, and eventually, she ended up in the ER.
After several rounds of bloodwork, they realized it wasn’t gastritis. Mackenzie was diagnosed with leukemia. The pain in her stomach was not from something she ate. The leukemia had spread to her stomach, which was very rare.
Chemo started immediately.
Unfortunately, it caused a reaction that put her in the ICU. Those first 34 days in the hospital were scary. Eventually, Mackenzie received full body radiation, followed by another stay in the ICU, and then a bone marrow transplant.
Obviously, no one expects to face a life-threatening disease. She went out for dinner with friends, and one month later, she was battling for her life.
Still Fighting but Full of Gratitude
Mackenzie comes from a loving, close-knit family. She has a wonderful circle of friends. They were all affected by her diagnosis and she is grateful for the love and support she received from each of them while she fought leukemia.
They were constantly sending her messages and positive thoughts to keep going. Mackenzie insists she would not have gotten through treatment without their support.
She is also thankful for the support she received from the Icla da Silva Foundation.
IclaCares Helps Patients in Their Time of Need
One month before that dinner with friends, Mackenzie lost her dream job due to a corporate layoff. Just like you and me, she was concerned about her finances, but she knew she would bounce back. She relied on savings while searching for a new job. But after a critical diagnosis, and a month in the hospital, Mackenzie was more worried about how she would get through this.
The Icla da Silva Foundation provided financial support for Mackenzie during her treatment.
I was already worried about just making it day-to-day…it was such a huge relief to have some financial support…and even the emotional support, always checking in on me.” -Mackenzie S.
She told us, “It is so helpful knowing that I have a community that is worried about me and wants me to get better. I am really appreciative of you.”
Mackenzie is grateful for all the support she received, from her family, her friends, and the Icla da Silva Foundation.
But one person stands above the others.
Her Hero
Mackenzie is truly grateful for her older brother Mike. He is her hero for donating his bone marrow and saving her life.
“I wouldn’t be here without my brother.” Mike was a 100% match for her bone marrow transplant and she will be forever thankful.
Mackenzie is in recovery but still fighting. The treatments wiped out her immune system and the new cells from her brother are working hard to repopulate and create healthy cells in her body. There are still regular chemo treatments and spinal taps to ensure no leukemia is hiding in her spine.
We are grateful that Mackenzie shared her personal story with us. We will keep in touch with her and we wish her a full recovery.
You Can Help
Many patients struggle to afford everyday expenses like food, transportation, and housing while in treatment to receive a bone marrow transplant. The IclaCares program works to get those patients the help that they need.
“When you are in treatment, the last thing you want to think about is how am I going to pay my rent.”
By donating, you can ensure that a patient has the basic necessities while they are in treatment.
Your gift will assist a patient like Mackenzie.
Please donate today.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
Watch this brief video of Mackenzie sharing her story.
Happy to be Home with His FamilyREMOVING BARRIERS: Marc’s Story
Halfmoon, New York
After several years of unexplained pain in his stomach, Marc was diagnosed with myelofibrosis. It’s a rare cancer of the bone marrow that disrupts the production of blood cells.
His only cure was a bone marrow transplant.
Marc received a transplant, but he encountered many complications during treatment.
A Long Recovery Process
Marc was in treatment much longer than expected. A blood clot lead to encephalopathy. His heart stopped several times, which led to a pacemaker. He had GVHD and he may need to have a liver transplant.
He was expecting to be away from home for 1-3 months, but it took more than 6 months.
As is usual with most transplant centers, he was required to stay within 30 miles of the medical center during outpatient treatment. But Marc, his wife, and their teenage twin boys live 150 miles away.
The Caregiver Experience
Marc’s wife Talin stayed with him as a caregiver.
The transplant team requires a dedicated caregiver before they will even schedule a bone marrow transplant. Someone must be available full-time to help the patient during transplant and recovery.
A caregiver assists with transportation to the outpatient clinic, maintaining a medication schedule, and keeping an eye out for changes in the patients condition or signs of infection.
Of course, a big part of the job is love and attention.
Overcoming Obstacles/Grateful for Assistance
Marc had gone through diagnosis, treatment, and a bone marrow transplant. This was followed by medical complications and a long road to recovery. All during that time his wife took on caregiver responsibilities.
They were both far from home for 6 months. Their boys would visit by train.
Obviously, neither of them could work during treatment and outpatient recovery, but the extra expenses kept coming in.
Thanks to the support of donors like you, the Icla da Silva Foundation helped fund accommodations and meals while Marc was in treatment.
He is grateful.
“It was a relief to have financial help, especially with my wife and I being out of work and having many more expenses being in the city longer than expected. We were both shocked and became emotional by the generosity.
It is such a wonderful organization that can take a tragic event in one’s life and turn it around to ease the burden of others going through a similar situation.” -Marc M.
Looking to the Future
Marc is still under medical supervision, but at least he is at home surrounded by his family.
Still, we’re sure he would like to get back to the way things used to be.
Marc was an 8th grade social studies teacher, dean of students, and coach for both football and basketball. He hopes he’ll be well enough to return to work in the future.
He would also like to take a much-needed vacation.
Before all that, Marc must wait for his immunity to improve. He just wants to be able to see his family and friends without masks or restrictions.
We hope that happens soon, and we wish the best for Marc and his family. The Icla da Silva Foundation was happy to play a role in his recovery.
You Can Help a Patient in their Time of Need
Your donation will help a patient overcome obstacles during treatment and put them on a path to recovery.
Please donate to ease the unexpected burdens of a patient in treatment to receive a marrow transplant.
Support our mission by making a donation today!
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
Supporting a Teenager on his Journey to a Bone Marrow TransplantREMOVING 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.
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.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
Another Barrier Removed When No One Else Could Help
The Icla da Silva Foundation goes the ‘extra mile’ to ensure that another life is saved.
Young Herzel was inspired to become a nurse after surviving thyroid cancer in 2017. The remarkable care that she received as a patient impacted her greatly, and she enrolled in nursing school with a desire to help others.
But while preparing for her exam to become a Certified Dialysis Nurse, Herzel was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
A bone marrow transplant was her only chance for a cure, and there were no matching donors for her on the registry.
Finding a Donor
The bone marrow transplant team at New York-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical Center acted fast to test her brother Reggie back in the Philippines as a potential donor.
Luckily, he was a 100% match.
However, this fantastic news still presented a barrier.
Herzel is a smart, hard-working young woman. Although she was unable to maintain her employment during so many visits and treatments at the hospital, she kept her living expenses low and paid her bills on time.
But the expense to bring her brother to the U.S., so he could transplant his stem cells, was unaffordable at the moment. Her savings had already been depleted.
She didn’t know what to do. Her doctors wanted to schedule the transplant as soon as possible.
No organization was able to fund international travel for her donor.
Removing Barriers
A social worker at New York-Presbyterian contacted the Icla da Silva Foundation. After gathering and organizing the necessary paperwork, and thanks to the generous supporters of the Foundation, not only did we provide the funds, we made the flight reservations.
Within days, this life-threatening financial barrier was removed and Herzl’s brother arrived in New York for the donation. The transplant was successful and Reggie saved his sister’s life. They spent a few days together before he returned home to the Philippines.
Giving Back
The gift of life that Herzel received only strengthened her desire to help others.
She passed her nursing exams and recently began working for the NYC Department of Health. Herzel is thankful for the support that she received and has applied to Volunteer for the Icla da Silva Foundation.
We asked Herzel what she would say to the donors who made her brother’s trip possible.
“I want to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity to live a healthy life again. I couldn’t be any more grateful for the Icla da Silva Foundation. I want to help the Foundation as much as I can so other patients like me can have the same opportunity for life.”
You can help us support more patients like Herzel. Your donation will remove barriers for patients needing a bone marrow or cord blood transplant.
Your donation will save lives.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch