Andrew's Bone Marrow Transplant
Andrew was diagnosed when he was 6 months old with Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD). CGD is an immune deficiency disease which affects neutrophils, a type of white blood cell. Patients with CGD are susceptible to recurrent bacterial and fungal infections, because in a healthy person, neutrophils kill fungi and bacteria.
In Andrews early years he took preventative antibiotics and immune enhancing drugs. He was in and out of the hospital multiple times. In 2008 we found out he had Celiac Disease, and 2011 that he also has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). He began receiving treatment at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD near Washington, DC after a referral from his doctor in Minnesota. NIH is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency.
Since 2011 Andrew has been going to NIH participating in the medical research program which includes medical treatment. Through these 8 years the doctor's have tried many different courses of treatment for Andrew. In the process of his care his doctors have determined the best course of action now is to undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), planned to take place in July 2019. Other patients with both CGD and IBD who had a BMT have been cured.
The BMT will require Andrew, along with a caregiver, to be at NIH in Bethesda, MD for 5 months (2 weeks prior to transplant, 4-6 weeks in the hospital, and 3 months after discharge). All medical treatment costs are paid for by NIH but any other costs (housing, food, transportation, etc) for the 5 months are not. Housing will need to be found within 30 minutes drive to NIH for the 5 months as well, which has a higher living cost.
$20,000 = $4,000 per month for 5 months.
The funds from this will be used towards:
Housing (rent, supplies) and Food
Transportation (car rental or buying a used car to drive to/use in Bethesda)
Travel (for caregivers and other family members to and from NIH)
Any other non medical treatment costs incurred during this time
We will not be providing medical updates here on GoFundMe in the process of the BMT, you can go to the CaringBridge page: www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewpreble
Note on this campaign:
It notes that this campaign is by Andrew Preble on behalf of Jeffrey Preble. This campaign has been organized by Andrew's family, and funds go to Jeffrey, Andrew's father, who will be paying for the expenses during this time.
