Marlyce's Medical Fund

Marlyce Thompson Kocher is a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunty, friend and longtime teacher of special education students. She has been a teacher for 21 years with all but 8 as an educator of children with special needs. Marlyce consistently works tirelessly to provide the best and most enriching opportunities to countless numbers of students, all of whom need that extra gift of love that she gives. There has never, ever been a student she has given up on! She has had this stellar career while having a serious blood disorder that required chemo and blood transfusions. She has always been an energizer bunny!

But now, Marlyce is in great need of your love, prayers, and financial assistance! Her sick leave time has run out and she is now getting pay docks while she is fighting for her life at the MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX. She was recently diagnosed with another blood disorder, AML (Acute Myelogenous/Myeloid Leukemia). Hers affects the white blood count, red blood count, and the platelets. She has two myeloproliferative diseases working against her. She has Essential Thrombocythemia and Von Willebrand's Disease. One is a clotting disorder and the other is a bleeding disorder. Both affect the bone marrow and the cells in the bone marrow. As these cells scar, they form blasts. Her blasts are >20% blasts hence the AML. Hers is getting worse by forming more scarring.

True to her incredible fighting spirit, Marlyce chose to enter a drug trial to try to save her life. The following are her words sent 2/4/18 to her friends and family: “As of Friday I started my chemo trial. I take 10 pills in the morning and evening and have IV's morning and evening. The biggest thing about this trial is that I am in total isolation. My room was washed down before I came in and I had to take a shower, gown and mask, and cover head to toe to come in. I can not leave the room and no one can come in to visit. All nurses are covered from head to toe when they come in. I will be in here for 28 days. When my kids come to visit I have to talk to them, on the phone, through a big glass window on the other side of my room. I have no shower for 28 days and have to take a sponge bath every day. The only toilet is a commode. I have my bed, a little closet, a chair, a sink, and an exercise bike to get exercise. The room is only big enough to get all that in. Not big at all. The reason for total isolation is to keep out all bacteria as much as possible. Believe me, there were many tears shed yesterday before I made the decision to do this. I am doing it for my husband, children, and grandchildren. If this trial works we are looking at a stem cell transplant. I just keep looking at the end picture, so I guess I can endure anything for a while. I have plenty to keep me busy. I hope this finds everyone Happy and Healthy. “

You can help Marlyce by lessening the financial burden of her brave quest for a healthy future!
Thank you and may God bless you!