Susan Redwood is an awesome human who has recently been diagnosed with AML; Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She is a mother of twins who are just entering their freshmen year of college. She is also a loving wife of twenty years and a caring daughter to her 82 year old father who she recently moved into her home. Susan is loved not only by her family, but also her community, friends and coworkers. Susan has spent over 30 years working with special education students and their families. Constantly involved in community fundraising, Sue has been a board member of several educational organizations and volunteered countless hours for local events and charities.

This page has been created to help offset medical costs and any other needs that pop us as she begins her journey.

So let's all come together and give Susan the support and love back that she has shared with all of us through the years.

Sincerely,

Team Susan

UPDATE:

After a month-long hospital stay and a round of induction chemotherapy, Susan was able to come home and spend some much-needed time with her family.

However the battle is far from over, while she awaits her bone marrow transplant.

Susan will have to return to the hospital to begin a series of consolidation chemotherapy treatments. She has been able to meet with a bone marrow transplant team at Hackensack Meridan Health and further her journey. The team is currently searching for a bone marrow donor from the worldwide bank, and both of her children are also being tested to see if they'd be a good matc. If a suitable donor is found, it is likely the bone marrow transplant will take place in December. The transplant is a significant medical procedure, in which Susan will be required to be hospitalized for a minimum of one month. Unfortunately, this means she will most likely miss Christmas and New Years with her family.

To prepare for the transplant, Susan must receive chemotherapy and full body radiation. This is done to destroy her faulty system and prepare her body for the donor cells. Susan will have to be isolated from friends and family to avoid common germs that can be life threatening to her at this time. After she receives the donor cells, she will stay in the hospital until her medical team can be confident she can be discharged safely (This could take anywhere from several weeks to several months). Once discharged, Susan will have to return to Meridan health initially 3 times a week for bloodwork, infusions and monitoring.

Clearly the commute of 45 mins one way to the hospital, plus the cost of gas and parking will become a hardship quickly.

The first 30 days after she gets home Susan will need a caregiver 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is to ensure she is taking her medications on schedule, safely getting around the house, eating and drinking enough, giving her infusions daily and monitoring for any signs of infection, illness or graft v. host disease.

The caregivers will be her Husband and Son, which means they will be unable to work during this time. A decision which will affect them, not only financially but also emotionally.