With the help of Dr. David Margolis, Program Director of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin’s Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Bone Marrow Transplant: A bone marrow transplant (BMT) is also called a stem cell transplant (SCT) or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).The procedure replaces unhealthy blood-forming stem cells with healthy ones and offers some patients the possibility of a cure. But for many patients, a BMT is not an option due… Program, AA&MDSIF presents an explanation of bone marrow failure bone marrow failure: A condition that occurs when the bone marrow stops making enough healthy blood cells. The most common of these rare diseases are aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Bone marrow failure can be acquired (begin any time in life) or can be… , the treatments, side effects, and activity restrictions in The Bone Marrow Garden, a video and slide presentation created especially for children.
Dr. Dave explains the function of each type of blood cell, what causes stem cells stem cells: Cells in the body that develop into other cells. There are two main sources of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells come from human embryos and are used in medical research. Adult stem cells in the body repair and maintain the organ or tissue in which they are found. Blood-forming (hemapoietic) stem… to be attacked and destroyed, and how treatments like ATG and bone marrow transplant work. He gives examples of practical questions children can ask to better understand the impact treatment will have on their daily life and activities using terms they will understand.
Although most of the attention is on aplastic anemia aplastic anemia: (ay-PLASS-tik uh-NEE_mee-uh) A rare and serious condition in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells - red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The term aplastic is a Greek word meaning not to form. Anemia is a condition that happens when red blood cell count is low. Most… , which most often strikes children and adolescents, other bone marrow failure diseases including MDS and PNH are also mentioned, as is leukemia.
The Bone Marrow Garden helps to make bone marrow failure diseases understandable to children and parents.
Watch the presentation.
This page generously sponsored by Rhona's Place Foundation and a gift from Liberty Mutual Insurance Group in honor of Coach of the Year, Tim Beck, who dedicates this gift to his nephew, Bradley Richard, a 13-year aplastic anemia survivor.