Help Fund Life-Changing Stem Cell Transplant for Sue Jensen

We are Jennifer Jensen, daughter of Sue Jensen, and Kari Crawford, family friend, and we are asking for your help in supporting my mom on her Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) journey. My mom is a strong and fiercely driven woman, and she is in for the fight of her life. My mom has faced many challenges in her personal and professional life and has done so with grit, determination, and courage in the face of fear. She is a tough lady, my mom, and this is scary, but we know she will get through this with your support, positive words, and your prayers.

At the end of February 2024, we received devastating news that my mom has Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). She was admitted to the hospital as her oxygen saturation levels, along with her red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin levels, were critically low. Mom was started on chemotherapy. She was receiving transfusions and platelets almost daily along with oxygen. She struggled to eat due to pain from a hiatal hernia and severe reflux and rapidly lost nearly 35 pounds but she fought as best she could to get strong enough and stable enough to return home to her family and her doggies who missed her terribly. She returned home at the end of May to happy doggies, more physical therapy, and rounds of chemo.

AML is an aggressive form of bone marrow cancer. My mom was given an initial prognosis of 12-15 months. Thankfully, my mom was recently given the opportunity of a lifetime as she was accepted into a stem cell transplant program based out of Keck Medical Center, USC in Los Angeles. We've been flying back and forth between our home in Las Vegas to LA for several weeks for testing and labs. Miraculously, a donor in Germany was located, a perfect match for my mother's stem cell transplant.

We are elated and nervous and excited. My mom will be admitted to Keck Medical Center in LA on November 16, 2024, for the transplant and will remain hospitalized there for one month and will then require a two-month stay in LA after the transplant in a rental property we've secured near the hospital. She will need a caregiver as well while recovering to provide for her care needs. Several flights were needed already to set up everything for donor matching/labs, and my mom requires some assistance with traveling, so that is increasing costs as well.

We are estimating at least $10,000 in housing costs in LA, another $5,000 in air travel expenses, and then all of the donor fees/expenses incurred. Costs of a bone marrow stem cell transplant vary but can range up to $400,000 before insurance. Thankfully, mom's insurance will cover most of the transplant costs, and we continue to explore grants and help from the American Cancer Society to help as well....BUT we need YOU, too.

Many of you have asked what you can do for my mom or the family to help even though you are miles away. Just take one moment to click that DONATE button and gift my mom with a donation and then, please, click the share button to pass along my mom's story. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any support you can offer, emotionally or monetarily, as my mom fights this battle in warrior mode.

(Note: We will update you and share my mom's continuing journey and her transplant progress as time moves forward so you can see how your donations are helping. Thank you so, so much!)