Jennifer's Story...

A bit of a change of pace today...

A few days ago I opened my "Crackerjack Flats Express" newsletter, and had to stop a second we I saw a photo of a Mom with her two little boys. Under the beautiful image were their names, and then the statement, "Battling luekemia & seeking a donor match."

Ugh.

The photo was accompanied by the announcement that Ft Irwin would be hosting a Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drive in May. Jennifer,this brave young Mom fighting for her life, is a fellow army wife, and a sister-in-law to one of our own Ft. Irwin soldiers.

Just over a year ago - in March of '09 - my husband, Mike, was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. It's a battle we are still fighting today. Although his cancer is being stubborn, {it had spread by the time of diagnosis, and the chemo wasn't successful}, we consider ourselves lucky - of all the cancers to get, this is the "good" kind; it's not only treatable, but curable.

For five months after his diagnosis, we were overwhelmed with the love and support of friends & family. His chemo treatments were 5 days long, and we'd return home from San Diego each time to find our pets well-loved, dinners prepared, and even our fridge fully stocked. It's the kind of love and support that leaves you humbled and speechless. We to this day are constantly asking ourselves, "how can we ever really thank them?"

Just as Mike's chemo treatments were ending, I myself began to not feel well. Things escalated, doctors were baffled, and eventually we found ourselves back on the receiving end of this community's amazing kindness. In January I was diagnosed with a rare vascular disease, Wegener's Granulomatosis. It's something that will be with me for life, but again Mike and I are lucky; this is something I will learn to live with and control. It's not leukemia...I'm not in need of a bone marrow donor...

Because of our own experiences in the past year, reading about Jennifer's fight was especially emotional for me. I thought of all the love and support Mike and I have been shown through our ordeals, and how we just can't find a way to say "thank you." Being donors for someone else in need would be the ultimate way to "pay it forward," but unfortunetly our treatments make us ineligible to be donors...

There is a quote I read, "If you don't like how things are, change it! You are not a tree." {Jim Rohn}

If we cannot personally submit a swab and possibly help save the life of someone like Jennifer, then I want to at least help get the word out about the event to as many people as possible. With the family's permission, I will be using my blog and studio's Facebook Page to do just that...

I know from the love and support Ft Irwin has shown Mike and I that this Donor Drive here on post will be a great success...this is such an amazing community! Please help spread the word about Jennifer's fight and the Drive...sadly, there are so many Jennifers out there that need our help...please help!

And how's this for awesome news?! An update from Jennifer's family already on the donor match that was found for her!! Ft Irwin, we could make this happen for other families!! "We are so happy that Jen did receive consent from her match to participate in the transplant (her match meets 9 out of 10 markers which is great). Jen started the chemo/radiation prep for the transplant but now we are waiting for the stem cells to make it to the US (her donor is in Denmark). The stem cells had been held up because of the trickle effect of international flights due to the volcanic ash. We are confident that it will all work out and the transplant will be complete by the end of the month. I am so excited to go forward with this drive and hopefully spread the same good fortune to other families."-Michelle M.