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PortugueseREMOVING 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
Hope and Healing: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Sickle Cell CureREMOVING 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.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
Assisting a College Advisor During His Leukemia Treatment
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.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
Fighting Cancer Includes Protecting a Patient from EvictionREMOVING 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.
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.
Thank you for your support!
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
This Beautiful Little Boy is Celebrating his “Re-Birthday”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.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
PATIENT UPDATE: We love to see a patient smileBurlington, Vermont
We just received an update from a recent patient. Kristina is a single mother who was diagnosed with AML and needed support traveling out-of-state to receive her treatments.
We removed that barrier and she recently reached out with an update:
“Airam,
My sons and I were able to get out in the new snow up north during school break to do some sledding. This is the 1st time we’ve revisited this tradition since before I got sick with AML!!!
Memories made!
-Kristina
Click and watch the 0:08 video below. Listen to her laughing!!
You can make more patients smile on their journey to a cure. Please donate today.
Read our first story about Kristina, and watch her video talking about the importance of the support she received using this link.
Mother of 5 Receives Her Bone Marrow TransplantREMOVING 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.”
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.
Thank you.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch
REMOVING BARRIERS – ELLY’S STORY
Durham, California
Elly Moreno-Preciosa is a 6-year-old girl recently diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia. Her only cure was a bone marrow transplant.
Fortunately for Elly, her 11-year-old brother was identified as a matching donor. She received her transplant on June 1, 2022.
Both of her parents are hard-working agricultural workers in Northern CA. They live 200 miles from the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, which performed the transplant and is continuing treatment until Elly’s immune system is functioning properly.
The Family’s Challenges
Since Elly’s brother was identified as her donor, both parents had to stop working for several months to be individual caregivers for their children. COVID policies do not allow siblings at bedside. Her mother took care of Elly, while her father took care of their son.
Obviously, this had an impact on the family’s limited financial resources.
After the transplant, Elly’s father and brother returned home to work and attend school. But Elly and her Mom remained in the hospital due to complications.
Even after she is released, Elly will require follow-up visits for the next 6-12 months.
That’s a 400-mile round trip.
Undue Stress
Obviously, being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease is distressing. When children are involved, worry and fear impact the entire family. The outlook is unknown.
Patient families are concerned about paying the bills while they are unable to work. In Elly’s case, they are also worried about transportation while half of the family is living 200 miles away for continued treatment.
Individually, each of these barriers can be intense. Combined, they can be extremely overwhelming.
Removing Barriers
The Icla da Silva Foundation removes barriers for patients who require a bone marrow or cord blood transplant. We provide emotional, logistical, and financial support during transplant and treatment.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to help Elly’s family with a small grant for rent, transportation, and meals.
Elly is doing well. Her dad and brother travel 400 miles every weekend so the family can be together.
We look forward to learning when everyone is back home. We hope the best for Elly and her family.
Please consider making a donation that will remove barriers for patient families like Elly’s.
With your help, we will continue to make a difference for patients in need of a bone marrow or cord blood transplant.
Written by: Bret Itskowitch