Help Danette Beat Leukemia (AML) and Get a Transplant

As some of you know, my mom, Danette, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood and bone marrow cancer, back in April. After undergoing multiple rounds of chemo and spending a month in the hospital, she is responding well to treatment and has the opportunity to get a bone marrow (or stem cell) transplant, which can offer a cure to AML.

The transplant can pose serious risks and side effects, making the recovery process particularly intensive. She's required to have a dedicated 24/7 caregiver for three months post transplant and to temporarily move to Durham to be in a "safe zone" ten minutes away from the Duke University Hospital for those months. The caregiver is essential for daily living, as she will not be allowed to drive to doctor's appointments, cook, clean, go out in public for errands, etc. She will also need someone with her to monitor for any unusual symptoms, such as fever or confusion, which could turn life threatening if not quickly addressed.

Normally I would be able to serve as the primary caretaker but I'm pregnant and due around the tentative time of her transplant, so we are running into issues finding someone to fulfill this role. Without a caregiver nailed down she runs the risk of not being approved for a transplant.

With a small (and mostly out-of-state) family, not many people can put their lives on hold to move for three months. It looks like we realistically will need to hire a professional for a good chunk of this time. While she has great insurance that covers most treatment costs, an at-home caregiver is not covered and will add up to be a bigger expense than anticipated. Any donation toward this caregiver cost (and additional medical costs such as prescriptions, etc.) is so greatly appreciated!

Additionally, Danette has been on medical leave since diagnosis and will not be cleared to return to work for at least six months post transplant as she recovers. If you know her, you know she's not one to ask for help with really anything in life, but her care team at Duke suggested a GoFundMe as supplementary support.

We're thrilled she's at the point that this life-saving transplant is possible, and are trying to help her overcome this next hurdle without too much added stress and get her healthy for her first grandchild! She's maintained such a positive mindset throughout this entire process and we're trying to support what will (hopefully) be the final push to get her cancer free.