Help Hal Awaiting His Stem Cell Transplant for MDS

Hi, My name is Hal Snow. I'm originally from Greenfield, Massachusetts, but I currently live in Kingsport, Tennessee, with my beautiful wife, Debra and three little pets. I am semi-retired and have a part-time job that I love with Lowe's Home Improvement.

On May 3, 2022, I was diagnosed with MDS-EB2 (myelodysplastic syndrome with excess blast 2). MDS is a rare Blood cancer that affects the bone marrow's ability to produce healthy Red and White blood cells. When Debra brought me to the emergency room on Friday, April 29th, I was very weak, confused, and every part of my body felt fatigued. The doctors ran several tests and discovered that my blood counts were critically low. My red cells were at 1.05 (normal range 4.20 to 5.60), white cells were at 0.8 ( normal range 3.50 to 10.50). The doctors said they had never seen anyone's blood counts that low, never mind walking into the emergency room under their own power. They also said that if we hadn't come to the ER, I probably would not have made it through the weekend. At this point, things started happening quickly. They immediately began with transfusions of red blood cells. I had four units in the ER. I was then transferred by ambulance to a larger hospital and admitted to the Oncology Department, where I was given two more units of blood. A total of six units in 24 hours to stabilize me. I have had 28 transfusions to date. Unfortunately, there is no transfusion for White blood cells. White cells are responsible for fighting any infection; mine were, and still are, almost non-existent. The doctors advised us to avoid crowds, and close contact with other people as a virus or infection would likely put me in intensive care. I am on a strict regimen of antibiotics, anti-virus, and anti-fungal medications daily. I have had three rounds of chemotherapy so far, and the doctors are pleased with the results.

I am one of the fortunate patients who qualify for a bone marrow transplant, the only known cure. I am being treated at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee and Ballad Health Cancer Care in Kingsport. My doctors in Kingsport, working with Vanderbilt, require that I visit the Outpatient Oncology Unit in Kingsport to check my blood levels to determine if I need transfusions to keep me stable until the transplant.

A bone marrow donor has been found through Be The Match, for which we are very grateful, and for all the assistance and programs they provide. Debra and I would also like to thank The American Cancer Outreach, a grant-funded organization in the Tri-Cities area of northeast Tennessee, for their assistance.

Because I have to avoid crowds and close contact, I can no longer work. Debra, who is also my caregiver, must follow the same strict guidelines to reduce any risk of infection or germs. Therefore, our household income has been cut in half, and we have to rely solely on my Social Security check. Unfortunately, our required household expenses have not been cut in half, and we struggle to meet those expenses. Also, we have monthly visits with our doctor in Vanderbilt (5 hours away), and every trip requires a one or more night stay. We are responsible for gas, lodging, and meals for each trip. We are fortunate that insurance and grants cover some of my medical bills, but there are still extensive out-of-pocket costs. When I go for the bone marrow transplant, we will be required to stay in an apartment or hotel room close to the hospital for 100 days and have daily check-ups at the hospital. The lodging may be partially covered, but we will be responsible for the remainder.

Vanderbilt is one of the top 5 hospitals in the country for bone marrow transplants. We are blessed to have exceptional doctors who are optimistic about my complete recovery, as am I.

My diagnosis came as a great shock. The impact on our lives and the magnitude of the expenses are beyond anything we could have imagined. We are humbly asking for your help in meeting some of these expenses. We will be eternally grateful for your prayers and any assistance you can provide. Debra and I are eager to return to work and enjoy many more years of dreams together when I recover from this. We are so grateful for the kindness of everyone we have met along this journey. Debra and I want to be able to pay it forward in the future. After browsing through many of the stories on this website, I have realized that GoFundMe does two specific things: One is financial help, but the other is that it has restored my faith in humanity. Thank you to everyone. God bless you.