Stem Cell Clinic

Bourbonnais toddler beats leukemia with stem cell transplant – Kankakee Daily Journal

While watching 3-year-old Mads Pomranky excitedly play on a Tuesday afternoon with his 1-year-old sister, Valen, one would never guess the difficult health struggles hes overcome.

At 5 months old, Mads was diagnosed with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare cancer of the blood that affects young children. The diagnosis eventually turned to acute myeloid leukemia and was treatable only through a transplant from a stem cell donor.

For parents Jennifer and Derrick Pomranky, of Bourbonnais, they made the immediate decision to approach the challenge with positivity, designating their son Mighty Mads.

Its pretty difficult to watch your little baby go through this, Jennifer said. I feel like right away, we both had the mentality of, Hes gonna get through this, were gonna get through this.

We got through it one day at a time, added Derrick.

As an infant, Mads was often sick with congestion or runny nose. It was a pediatrician, Dr. Josefina Batista at Riverside Healthcare, that noticed his spleen was enlarged. Further testing would show his red blood cell count being low while his white cell count was high. These red flags led to the eventual leukemia diagnosis.

His pediatrician caught it so fast that we had time on our side that they could pinpoint the diagnosis and take their time with the chemo and wean him into it a little bit, said Jennifer while flipping through a book the family made for Mads donor. The book details Mads journey with cancer and treatment.

The book documents that Mads had six rounds of chemo, 83 doses of chemo, 31 blood transfusions, 31 platelet transfusions, 11 bone marrow biopsies, five spinal taps with chemo, two skin biopsies and one cryo transfusion.

His parents noted they were lucky in the search for a donor, as Mads health care team found a 10 out of 10 match through the stem cell/bone marrow transplant registry, DKMS.

The donation was from a young woman, Kaelynn Speed, out of Cincinnati.

Weve been an advocate for [DKMS], Jennifer said, noting that the DKMS shirts her kids were wearing were given to the family when they first met Speed through a donor meeting facilitated by the donor registry.

By the time doctors were able to begin providing transplant care to Mads then 13 months old the world was in the throes of COVID-19. As a result, Speeds cell donation had to be frozen for two weeks before being administered to Mads.

Mom Jennifer said that the process took about an hour and was similar to a blood transfusion.

Now, Mads has to have bloodwork done every three months to make sure everything is on the up and up. Additionally, he does a survivorship follow up at Comer Childrens Hospital, where he had his treatments.

Hes doing great. Hes very rambunctious and a normal toddler, said Jennifer.

Born May 16, 2019, Mads now has double the annual celebrations first, his birthday, and second, what his parents have dubbed his rebirthday on June 17, which is when he had the transplant.

Before and after transplant, he was really sick, Derrick said. So that was a bad time.

When he was going through all of it, he missed a lot of his milestones. He was basically reborn again, added Jennifer.

LIFE AND DEATH

The family still keeps in touch with Speed and her family; they received her information on the one-year anniversary of Mads transplant and set up a Zoom meeting. The families met in person last summer.

Shes the nicest person, she was only 19 when she signed up [to donate], Jennifer said. Derrick added that shes studying nursing.

Between work and two toddlers, the Pomranky parents certainly have their hands full, but they always make time to encourage people to sign up to be stem cell and/or bone marrow donors.

You could potentially save a life, Jennifer said. Its a matter of life and death, literally.

Excerpt from:
Bourbonnais toddler beats leukemia with stem cell transplant - Kankakee Daily Journal

Invasive aspergillosis: Symptoms and more – Medical News Today

Aspergillosis is an infectious disease that occurs due to a common type of fungus, or mold, called Aspergillus. A type of aspergillosis called invasive aspergillosis particularly affects people with weakened immune systems.

Most individuals breathe Aspergillus spores daily and do not develop any health effects.

However, people with compromised immune systems, such as those who have had an organ transplant or are undergoing chemotherapy treatment, may be at greater risk of developing aspergillosis.

The disease usually affects the lungs but can spread to other areas of the body.

This article looks at invasive aspergillosis and its symptoms, diagnosis, outlook, and more.

Aspergillus mold is common indoors and outdoors and can cause infection in the sinuses and lungs of immunocompromised people.

If the infection spreads to the rest of the body, outcomes are very unfavorable and include death.

Experts do not know the extent of aspergillosis in the United States, as it is not a reportable infection. However, according to a database of insurance claims, there were almost 15,000 hospitalizations for this diagnosis in the U.S. in 2014.

That said, the number of people with aspergillosis has likely increased since then.

Invasive aspergillosis is less common than the milder, allergic forms of the disease. It is the most common fungal infection in people who have had stem cell treatment. It is also the second most common in those who have received solid organ transplants.

Invasive aspergillosis usually occurs in people with weakened immune systems who often already have other medical conditions. Therefore, it can be difficult to differentiate between the symptoms of the infection and those of the underlying illness.

The symptoms of invasive aspergillosis may include:

Types of invasive aspergillosis include:

Other types of aspergillosis include:

A person can develop aspergillosis by breathing in Aspergillus spores, which are common in indoor and outdoor environments.

Most people will not get sick from breathing the spores, but those with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of infection.

People at risk of invasive aspergillosis include individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those who have received:

Additionally, hospitalized patients with severe influenza and those with HIV are at risk of invasive aspergillosis.

To diagnose aspergillosis, a doctor may examine a persons medical history and risk factors and ask questions about their symptoms.

They may perform a physical examination and several laboratory tests. These may include:

Doctors may treat invasive aspergillosis with several different antifungal medications.

These may include:

Where possible, doctors may also decrease or discontinue immunosuppressive medications to help treat invasive aspergillosis.

Because Aspergillus spores are common in the environment, it is difficult for people to avoid breathing them in.

Experts recommend those with weakened immune systems take certain measures to protect against the fungus. However, these actions may not prevent aspergillosis.

Preventive measures may include:

The outlook for invasive aspergillosis is generally unfavorable.

The mortality rate of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is about 20% six weeks after diagnosis, despite treatment with antifungal medications.

The mortality rate reaches close to 100% once the infection has spread to the central nervous system.

Most people safely breathe Aspergillus spores every day, as these are common in indoor and outdoor environments.

However, those with weakened immune systems may be at risk of developing health problems from breathing microscopic amounts of the fungus.

In immunocompromised people, such as those undergoing chemotherapy or those who have had stem cell or organ transplants, invasive aspergillosis may affect the lungs and sinuses. This can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing up blood.

The disease may spread to other areas of the body and is often fatal once it reaches the central nervous system.

Treatment for invasive aspergillosis typically includes the use of antifungal medication.

Doctors may advise high risk individuals who are immunocompromised to take measures that may help prevent aspergillosis. These approaches include wearing protective equipment and clothing, testing, and taking antifungal drugs.

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Invasive aspergillosis: Symptoms and more - Medical News Today

How artificial intelligence can help primary care doctorsand their … – Medical Economics

Two letters. Theyre enough to give your patients more anxiety than any treatment, test or injection. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows it: Sixty percent of Americans said they would be uncomfortable with their provider relying on artificial intelligence (AI) in their own health care. But when used responsibly, artificial intelligence can help primary care doctors expand their care while cutting costs in their practices. And patients will notice the difference tooeven if they dont realize the technology behind their improved experience is the result of those dreaded two letters.

Informed patients, informed doctors

What really scares patients is the idea of AI performing the skilled work of doctors. The fact is, however, we are a long way from AI replacing doctors. Nor will AI replace office staff. But we are now at a point where AI can start to address the communication issues doctors face in their practices.

Patients say they dont want AI making health care decisions for them based on its interpretation of their conditions, but AI can help patients navigate through the treatment process and get them information a lot faster. For example, doctors can use AI and chatbots in their patient engagement strategy to better understand their patients, send them personalized information that is tailored to their treatment journey, and create interactions that are relevant to their personal needs.

AI has numerous applications for primary care physicians who are looking to manage their patients health proactively, Jonathan Sachs, MBA, vice president and chief experience officer for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, told me. AI can unlock a physicians ability to understand a patients needs beyond their 15-minute office visit by helping that physician make sense of longitudinal data from multiple sources such as wearables, at-home biometric technology, and internet of things devices.

Interactive messaging

As Googles chief health officer Karen DeSalvo, M.D., MPH recently noted, the future of health is consumer-driven. AI can help doctors be ready for the shift by improving the way they and their staff communicate with their patients.

Many practices are adopting advanced communications platforms to help streamline their workflow and patient interactions. AI and machine learning will take these platforms beyond simple appointment reminders to create better patient experiences.

AI can send relevant content to the patient at the time they need it the most, which leads to patients who are better educated, more comfortable, more confident, and more engaged in meaningful conversations about their health. The result is better outcomes, and ultimately more patients and cases.

AI Is already working in health care

AI is already helping doctors do their jobs better and more efficiently. Patient diagnostics is one area where we see this already. AI can help doctors ensure that patients who need care most urgently are treated first. AI can also help staff keep track of patients in nursing homes by monitoring their conditions based on data, which takes some of the sting away from nursing shortages. It can also detect disease by analyzing data and advance treatment through machine learning.

In private practices, AI is ready to step in and help with eligibility checks, prior authorizations, insurance claims, referrals, and billing. The immediate benefit of the digital transformation to primary care doctors in their practices, however, is the technologys ability to boost patient engagement and adherence.

Also, imagine the day when the majority of your scheduling is done by a patient interacting with AI in your practice. Integrating AI technology with practice management systems will make that possible. Appointments will be made and changed all while your front office staff is checking in a patient. The result is a superior patient experience while doctors, nurses, and office staff get time back in their days for the tasks that are most important to them.

Easing patients concerns

AI is coming fast and furious, and that is undoubtedly why some of your patients will be apprehensive. The pace of change is exploding. The Wright Brothers first flight was in 1903, but commercial air travel didnt truly take off until decades later. The first human heart transplant was in 1967, while the internet revolutionized the world in a short period of time. And as my great friend Michael Longaker, M.D., co-director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine recently said to me, The pace of change [in fields like] stem cell biology is rising exponentially each year.

Patients will get used to AI in their health care. It wasnt long ago that consumers were afraid to put their financial information online to complete a transaction. Now online shopping is so common that malls are half-empty even during the holiday season. Its going to take a little time until AI proves to be more effective, but in the present we can look for ways to help patients navigate information better. The right information at the right time makes a difference.

Jock Putney is the founder and CEO of WUWTA, an experience and engagement platform designed to help practices engage patients in their care and create better treatment outcomes.

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How artificial intelligence can help primary care doctorsand their ... - Medical Economics

Patients have renewed interest in STI exams after post-Covid spike – Medical Economics

Primary care physicians are being urged to encourage their patients to take a renewed interest in their sexual health after a report showed a spike in STI cases following Covid-19 lockdowns in 2022. According to experts, STI screenings were put off during the pandemic as patients prioritized other health care appointments.

The Zocdoc report, released ahead of CDC's STI Awareness Week, shows that patients have started to book more STI appointments in 2023. Zocdoc appointment booking data revealed that bookings in the first half of March 2023 were 26% higher than the same period in 2022.

The report also highlights a demographic divide, with men being more proactive about checking their sexual health than women. Millennials and Gen Z patients booked the most STI appointments, with patients in their 20s booking nearly twice as many appointments as those in their 30s. Meanwhile, seniors (65+) made up less than 1% of the bookings.

Genital warts caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) were the most common STI issue, accounting for 24% of all bookings. Genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, HPV, and hepatitis were also among the most commonly reported STIs.

Patients in Atlanta were found to be the most proactive about their sexual health, with the highest rate of STI bookings per patient. In contrast, patients in Boston, Charlotte, NC, San Francisco, and Nashville had some of the lowest booking rates.

Primary care physicians are encouraged to promote STI screenings and provide education on safe sex practices to help reduce the spread of STIs. CDC's STI Awareness Week runs through April 15th and provides a timely opportunity for health care providers to engage with their patients on this important issue.

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Patients have renewed interest in STI exams after post-Covid spike - Medical Economics

Woman diagnosed with incurable condition after eyes turned completely white – Yahoo News

Kerrys partner plans to walk the equivalent of a half marathon with Kerrys weight on his back to raise money for treatment abroad (Collect/PA Real Life)

A woman who lost her father to suicide and was diagnosed with a brain tumour in the space of six months, having seizures up to three times a month, has taught her 10-year-old son how to call 999 and says shes only still alive for (her) kids sake.

Kerry Warburton, 35, who lives in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, with her partner, Craig Kirkham, 36, their son, Ethan, 10, and their daughter, Ellana, 10 months, landed her dream job as a teaching assistant in December 2019,but in April 2020 she began having seizures where her eyes would turn completely white and she could no longer work.

On top of this, in July 2020 Kerrys dad died by suicide, and in January 2021 doctors found a tumour in her brain, which was causing her seizures.

One month later, doctors tried to remove her tumour by performing an open craniotomy, which made her lose her speech, and while in hospital she contracted Covid and was quarantined for 12 days partnerCraig thought she was on deaths door and doctors wereseconds away from turning off her life support, but she recovered.

Things were beginning to look up Kerry fell pregnant with her second child, Ellana, but after resuming treatment, a follow-up MRI scan revealed that her brain tumour was at stage four.

Now, Craig is planning to walk the equivalent of a half marathon to raise money for stem cell therapy which could prolong Kerrys life by three to five years.

I was at an all-time low when receiving treatment, especially after losing my dad Im only still alive now for my kids sake, Kerry said.

In December 2019, Kerry finally landed her dream job, as a teaching assistant, after going back to college as a mature student.

But in April 2020, Kerry began to have seizures, which was the first warning sign for her terminal brain tumour.

Her partner Craig said: She was shaking like mad, and her eyes rolled back in her head, and I saw foam and blood come out of her mouth.

I didnt know what the hell was going on. I was so scared, and I thought she was dying.

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The whole bed was shaking, and I thought we were having an earthquake or something.

(PA Real Life)

I had no clue what to do I was trying to push her head back into the pillow to stop her shaking, and her eyes were completely white.

Craig quickly called an ambulance, and Kerry was taken into Lincoln Hospital for tests and an MRI scan.

But Kerry was not diagnosed with anything and continued to have seizures up to three times a week, while her father died by suicide in July 2020.

Kerry said: I hit rock bottom, they took me off my seizure meds because it can cause low moods, and my seizures got worse I was having them twice a week.

In January 2021, she received more devastating news she had a five-by-five-by-five centimetre tumour in her brain.

Just a few weeks later, in February, Kerry had an open craniotomy, and was told she had stage two brain cancer,which caused her to have aphasia when a person has difficulty with their language or speech.

She explained: I lost my speech completely, it was horrible.

It was so hard for me because I wanted to speak I could speak clearly in my mind, but I couldnt get it out.

(PA Real Life)

When in hospital, she contracted Covid-19 and was quarantined for 12 days.

Craig said: I thought she was on deaths door. It was so scary they were seconds away from putting her to sleep.

It was terrifying because you couldnt go and see her.

I didnt sleep at all Id message her and check her WhatsApp constantly just to check she was alive.

Once out of hospital, Kerry found out she was pregnant and in June 2022 she gave birth to her second child, Ellana.

Just two months later, she had another MRI scan which concluded the brain tumour was terminal and stage four.

Craig said: It was scary as hell we were all happy, we had the baby, and then we were thrown back into the deep end again.

We had to travel for 55 miles for treatment again, for six weeks every single day.

Since October 2022, Kerry has been receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which has caused her to lose her hair and put on over two stone.

She said: It affects my confidence I dont want to leave the house.

Kerry continues to have seizures, but they have gone down to three per month, and has even had to teach her 10-year-old son Ethan how to call an ambulance.

She said: Were scared to death that I might have a seizure when Craig is at work, so weve taught him how to call an ambulance.

Weve had to give him counselling at school to cope with me being so ill.

It was hard to teach him how to do it,I was petrified, and his school have helped.

I know it must be horrible for my son, I blame myself for him getting upset about it.

To raise money for stem cell therapy, which could extend Kerrys life by three to five years,Craig has set up a GoFundMe and plans to walk from Lincoln Castle to his house, which is the equivalent of a half marathon, with Kerrys weight, 12 stone, on his back.

Craig said: Gravity will be trying to pull me into the ground just like this tumour is trying to put her in the ground, but we are going to defy both.

Kerry added: It would just be wonderful to have the treatment, and to not worry my son anymore.

To find out more about Craigs fundraising, visit http://www.gofundme.com/f/kerry-the-white-knight.

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Woman diagnosed with incurable condition after eyes turned completely white - Yahoo News

Memphis Grizzlies provide details on why Steven Adams hasn’t been cleared for NBA playoffs – Yahoo Sports

The Steven Adams injury and timeline has left fans searching for answers.

A report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said that Adams is "unlikely to return" for the NBA playoffs. This came a week after Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins noted that Adams was beginning a reevaluation period where the team hoped he'd be able to return soon.

The Grizzlies practiced on Tuesday. Adams was at practice shooting free throws

"It's pretty confirmed he's most likely out for the playoffs," Jenkins said. "We don't have definitive words on what the next steps are. It's been an ongoing process the last couple of weeks. I think there's more dialogue still this week with doctors involved. We want to make sure Steven's in a good place."

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Adams initially sprained his right PCL in January. He was expected to return in early March, but he needed a stem-cell injection that sidelined him another four weeks.

That lined Adams up for a potential reevaluation at the end of the regular season. When the Grizzlies signed Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a standard contract, it felt like an indicator of Adams' playoff status and the lack of frontcourt depth, but the Grizzlies didn't issue an official update.

"We thought we were making headway with the process and all that, but each evaluation we had with the doctors kind of revealed it's not progressing like we need it to. ... No setbacks, no reinjuries, it was just not progressing to a level. Obviously some unfortunate news, but that's why we're going to try to do everything possible to try to get the best decision possible for him," Jenkins said.

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The Grizzlies haven't ruled out surgery as an option for Adams. Jenkins said that everything remains on the table.

Xavier Tillman Sr., Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama are expected to get the bulk of minutes at power forward and center. Aldama didn't play in the final two regular season games due to left elbow soreness, but Jenkins called it precautionary.

Aldama was a full participant in practice on Tuesday and wore a compression sleeve on his left arm.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Steven Adams: Memphis Grizzlies give injury report for NBA playoffs

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Memphis Grizzlies provide details on why Steven Adams hasn't been cleared for NBA playoffs - Yahoo Sports