VANESSA & MELISSA’S STORY

“Vanessa has come so far. For someone who has been on therapy for leukemia since she was five years old, it’s remarkable the strides she’s made as a normal 11-year-old. She only has good things to look forward to the further out she goes.”

Vanessa & Melissa, East Meadow, Bone Marrow Transplant
First diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at five years old, Vanessa, now 11 years old, is entering sixth grade thanks to the vigilant care of her hematology/oncology doctors at Cohen Children’s Medical Center and a priceless gift of bone marrow from her sister Melissa.

“She initially did very well after receiving her therapy until early 2010 when she sadly relapsed,” Dr. Joel Brochstein recalls. “When this happened, we administered more intensive chemotherapy and started looking for a donor because patients who relapse generally have a poor prognosis. That’s why we turn to transplantation. She was lucky that her older sister was a match and ended up becoming a donor.”

Just 14 months apart in age, older sister Melissa agreed to donate her bone marrow for the transplantation which was conducted that summer. Since that time Vanessa has received follow up chemotherapy and radiation therapy and has done remarkably well. “Vanessa has come so far. For someone who has been on therapy for leukemia since she was five years old, it’s remarkable the strides she’s made as a normal 11-year-old. She only has good things to look forward to the further out she goes,” Dr. Brochstein added. Over the weeks and months in preparation for the transplantation, Vanessa’s parents stayed at the nearby Ronald McDonald House and are “eternally grateful to the doctors and nurses” that cared for their daughters.