Mary Pat loved being a teacher. Thanks to the generosity of her family and friends over the years, researchers receiving funding from AA&MDSIF have learned more about 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… . Established by Bill and Mary Ellen Madden in their daughter’s memory, and also supported by her siblings, family, and friends, this fund has been contributing to aplastic anemia research since 1997.
Mary Pat attended Illinois State University, and graduated in May, 1990, Suma Cum Laude with a B.S. in special education. She was a teacher for the hearing impaired in West Aurora School District #129 until February 2002, when she took a medical leave of absence for a 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… due to aplastic anemia. Mary Pat married Keith Grieshaber on December 26, 1992, whom she first met while attending Peacock Jr. High School. She enjoyed their Newfoundland dogs, Goober and Rigley, as well as their cats, Scoots and Spanky. She loved James Taylor, toiling in her garden, and long walks.