Transplant Type - Bone Marrow

We are so excited to report that Vicki received her bone marrow transplant in June 2010!

In 2006, Vicki was diagnosed with breast cancer. After radiation treatments and four rounds of chemotherapy, she was given a clean bill of health in 2007. Two years later, she felt as if she was having a heart attack and was rushed to the emergency room. Although her heart was fine, doctors discovered that she was severely anemic.

Her oncologist did blood work for several months in an effort to find the underlying cause for the anemia, and she even received an iron transfusion because her iron was so low. She was finally diagnosed in March with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), or pre-leukemia. Sadly, her MDS is considered "treatment-induced" and was likely caused by the chemotherapy and radiation used to fight her breast cancer. In April, doctors told her a bone marrow transplant was essential to her survival. Thankfully, her sister was a perfect match and donated her own bone marrow to save Vicki's life.

Vicki and her husband, James, have three children and ten grandchildren. She and James look forward to celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary November 3. More than anything, she wants to spend many more years with James watching their grandchildren grow up. But she needs your help.

Her bone marrow transplant is expected to cost approximately $500,000. And that's only the beginning. Even with health insurance, Vicki faces significant medical expenses. She will need follow-up care and medications to ensure her body accepts the new bone marrow.

To make matters worse, Vicki's health insurance will only cover a very small portion of the costs.

You can help.
To make a donation to NFT in honor of Vicki, click the link below her photo. If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Georgia Bone Marrow Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Please be sure to write "in honor of Vicki Hancock" on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Emory Transplant Center