Daniel's Clinical Trial

Daniel's Multiple Myeloma (MM) journey began almost 5 years ago. MM is a blood cancer which, although incurable, can be treated and managed over time. There are many variations of the disease and, as luck (or Karma) would have it, Daniel has a chromosomal abnormality called 17p (Del) which puts him in the highest risk category. Statistically, individuals with this high risk form of the disease don't respond as well to treatment protocols and, when they do, their responses are usually shorter. Their prognosis is most commonly poor. In recent years, there has been enormous progress in the develpoment of treatment protocols and the boundaries of life expectancy increase every year. Some researchers are even hinting at a cure. Daniel has beaten the odds many times over. But unfortunately, now his disease has relapsed on even the most cutting edge protocols. We were at the point where hope seemed nearly lost when, through a series of seemingly miraculous occurances and connections, Daniel was accepted into a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MA that holds great promise and hope for many with this disease. But now for the tricky part......,There will be repeated trips between Hawaii and Maryland, with stays ranging from several days to many weeks.?This will continue in some form for years to come. Although there will be some compensation for certain expenses, it doesn't begin to cover the costs that will be incurred by us. We know with great certainty that Daniel probably wouldn't be here today without the outpouring of support (emotional, physical, financial) we've received from our friends and family since he first got sick. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And once again, we're asking for help so he can continue the journey. The major expense will be air transportation. So, if anyone has a surplus of airline miles that you don't need floating around , we'll be more than happy to take them off your hands! Of course there will be lodging, food and other costs so any help will be gratefully accepted. SIDE NOTE: Those of you who know us, know how difficult it is for us to ask for help, especially monetary help. We would much rather be the ones giving. Left on his own, Daniel wouldn't be making this request. I, on the other hand, want to keep this guy around, not just for myself but for all who benefit from his presence on the planet. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes toward that end. So, with deep gratitude and humility we offer our thanks for all you have done and been in our lives. There really are no words.........With much love and aloha, Sandy and Daniel.