Post Bone Marrow transplant recovery expenses

Hi there,

I am Amrith Mariappan, a graduate student with the hopes of pursuing a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo, New York. I was suffering from a condition called Myelodysplastic Syndrome (aka Pre-leukemia) since the age of 13 in 2013. At the time I was being treated in India, but they couldn’t completely cure my condition. While I had some setbacks, my health was mostly okay. That is until I moved to the United States in 2021. I came to the US to pursue a higher education in aerospace engineering. After being in the states for five months I fell very sick, as my hemoglobin dropped to an abnormally low level. I had to receive regular blood transfusions and treatment at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Institute. It was here where I met Dr. McCarthy, and together we decided that I would need a bone marrow transplant in an attempt to cure my disease.

I was able to successfully get a transplant on June 2nd, 2022! I am very blessed that Roswell found a match for me and was able to provide such great care. Unfortunately, the full recovery time for a bone marrow transplant is about a year. I lost a lot of my strength due to the chemotherapy and radiation required. For the first three months, post-transplant, I needed 24/7 care provided by caregivers—as I could not maintain activities of daily living. Due to visa issues, my parents were unable to travel to the US at the time of my transplant time to provide this level of care. So instead, five of my friends volunteered to help me by being my caregivers.

In the past 7 months, I have made tremendous steps toward recovery. I am now able to care for myself more regularly, have begun doing schoolwork again, and even have taken up yoga and regular exercise! Dr. McCarthy and his team have said I should be back to full strength by this June, as my lab results from the transplant have been encouraging.

That all being said, due to the transplant and loss of my strength, I was unable to work regularly during this recovery time. My doctors advised me to limit my work during this year as the recovery process from a bone marrow transplant is intense and exhausting. I still plan on starting a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering this February, as I have been officially accepted into a program at Suny Buffalo. I have made this GoFundMe, as I still need to raise some funds for my food, medical transportation, and rent costs due to the limited amount that I am allowed to work given my health. Once I am fully recovered this summer, I am hopeful that my medical care costs will diminish and that I can work full-time again. I am very grateful for all the help and care I have received from my friends, family, community members, healthcare providers, and, of course, all of you reading this. Any financial help or prayers that you can give is truly appreciated and received with love!

I sincerely thank you for your support!

Amrith

PS I have attached a letter from Dr. McCarthy about my condition and work restrictions. If anyone wants further information, please don't hesitate to reach out!