Alaysha is a mom of two busy, happy, boys. In many ways her life is like that of most moms: juggling work and running around after her little kids. But she knows how precious these family moments really are, as both boys are now in recovery from a serious blood disease that was cured by a blood stem cell transplant. In this episode of NMDP Black Blood Heals, we hear her story.

Alaysha tells us about how her two boys were diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). This rare blood disorder means that sufferers don’t develop a healthy immune system, exposing them to extreme risk from everyday germs like the common cold. Luckily both boys were able to receive a blood stem cell transplant at a young age and Alaysha walks us through the whole process from diagnosis to recovery. We also hear how the disease affects other men in her family and what she wishes for her boys in the future, now that they are healthy and thriving.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

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In 2018, Lois went for a routine physical exam. The next day she unexpectedly received a phone call from her doctor telling her she had an extremely low white blood count. Further tests over the next few days confirmed her diagnosis: Lois had leukemia.

In this episode of NMDP Black Blood Heals, Lois walks us through her cancer diagnosis and the blood stem cell transplant that saved her life—thanks to an NMDP donor. Then you’ll hear her talk about her volunteer role as an NMDP courier where she takes life-saving blood stem cells after donation and transports them to the transplant center where the patient is waiting to receive their potential cure.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

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Having your child diagnosed with a serious disease is a parent’s worst nightmare. But if it happens to you, you want to know that your child is in safe hands, being cared for by an expert medical team. In this episode of NMDP Black Blood Heals, we talk to Margo Rollins, MD, a pediatric hematologist oncologist, about childhood cancer and blood disorders.

Dr. Rollins discusses how blood cancers and disorders are diagnosed through different newborn screenings and regular childhood checkups. She also highlights symptoms that parents can look for.

She goes into detail about blood stem donation and the two ways to donate—through peripheral blood stem cell or marrow donation as well as the and the differences between allogenieic and autologous transplants.

Dr. Rollins also addresses the need for more Black and African Americans to join the registry as potential blood stem cell donors to help more patients.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

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Altonet joined the donor registry as a university student and years later received the call that would change her life. She was a blood stem cell donor match for someone in need of transplant.

In this episode, Altonet shares her donation experience and how she became a true supporter of blood stem cell donation—which led her to working for NMDP.

Altonet is passionate about adding more Black and African Americans to the donor registry. Hear as she acknowledges barriers and how her unique perspective as both a donor and an NDMP employee is helping to improve the donation experience for the future.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

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Life wasn’t always easy for 12-year-old Kelsey. Born with sickle cell disease, she had her first sickle cell crisis when she was just 11 months old. Throughout her childhood she had more than 35 hospital stays and approximately 25 blood transfusions. Even when she wasn’t in hospital, Kelsey had to manage pain, fatigue and reduced mobility. Kelsey found a matching blood stem cell donor and received a blood stem cell transplant. Now a year later, Kelsey is thriving.

Listen as we talk to Kelsey and her mom, Ebony, about Kelsey’s diagnosis, how they managed her disease and what life is like now post-transplant.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Follow NMDP Black Blood Heals online:

Listen to other Black Blood Heals episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

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On this episode of Black Blood Heals, we’re bringing back one of our all-time favorite guests, Donna! Donna is a blood stem cell transplant recipient who we featured on an episode last year with her blood stem cell donor, Tiana.

Today, Donna is celebrating being cancer-free for five years and we’re catching up with her to find out how her life has been since her blood stem cell transplant. Listen to her talk about how she lives her life now and how she supports the work of the NMDP. We also look to the future to find out what changes Donna wants to see to help more people through their blood cancer journey.

Links:

• Listen to our previous episode with Donna: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2140861/episodes/14408951-the-gift-of-life-donna-and-tiana-s-unforgettable-encounter

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Follow NMDP Black Blood Heals online:

Listen to other Black Blood Heals episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Why would someone refuse to donate blood stem cells once, but then accept to become a donor later? On this episode of Black Blood Heals, we talk to Jeremiah who turned down the first request he got to become a donor. In a full circle moment, he later accepted and gladly donated his blood stem cells to help save the life of a person in need.

Jeremiah explains why he first joined the NMDP Registry and how he felt when his first call to donate came through. We explore the concerns that led him to refuse to donate and why he later regretted his decision. Then, we discuss what happened when he got a second call to become a donor and what the process of donation was like.

If you’ve been thinking about joining the donor registry, particularly if you’re a member of the Black or African American community, listen to Jeremiah’s story and hear his inspiring message about how you can become a hero through donating your blood stem cells.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Follow NMDP Black Blood Heals online:

Listen to other Black Blood Heals episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Welcome to "Black Blood Heals," the podcast that delves deep into the revolutionary world of blood stem cell therapy. Today's episode, brought to you by NMDP, explores the profound intricacies of donor-recipient matching with a special focus on the unique challenges faced by African American patients. Joining us is the esteemed Dr. Rafeek Yusuf, Director of Health Services Research at NMDP, a man whose life's work is dedicated to ensuring life-saving therapies are within everyone's reach.

In this vital conversation, we'll unveil the patient's complex journey from diagnosis to transplant, unravel the barriers shaped by social determinants of health, and the monumental role of insurance in this life-altering process. Dr. Yusuf, who also co-chairs the Racial and Ethnic Inequities committee, will shed light on how a mere 25-30% of patients find a full match in the registry and discuss why ethnicity and age are crucial in donor matching, with African American patients facing a staggering 71% chance of not finding a match.

The discussion will also touch upon how the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the disparities in healthcare access and outcomes tied to social determinants. We'll learn why grassroots mobilization, knowledge dissemination, and fostering trust in the medical system can bridge gaps in treatment for conditions like sickle cell disease.

Now, if you've ever considered becoming a donor, stick around. We're about to dive deep into why your decision could mean the world to someone else. And remember, you can arm yourself with more knowledge and find out how to become part of the solution by visiting nmdp.org. Let's join forces to make a lasting impact.

Get Involved

• Join the Donor Registry: https://bit.ly/3UGiU1S
• Visit NMDP for resources: https://bit.ly/48moDxd

Black Blood Heals is produced by Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Follow NMDP Black Blood Heals online:

Listen to other Black Blood Heals episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

• Spotify: https://bit.ly/SpotifyBBH
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• Podchaser: https://bit.ly/PodchasterBBH