Game…Set…MATCH!
Great news just in! Eliot is a MATCH for Ethan! The HLA typing (bone marrow typing) just came back, and it concludes that Eliot is a match for Ethan.
We couldn’t be happier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HLA Matching Basics: A well-matched donor is important to the success of the transplant. You inherit half of your HLA markers from your mother and half from your father, so each brother and sister who has the same parents as you has a 25% chance of matching you. It is unlikely that extended family members will match you. About 70% of patients who need a transplant do not have a suitable donor in their family.
A close HLA match improves the chances for a successful transplant. Close matching: 1) Promotes engraftment. Engraftment is when the donated cells start to grow and make new blood cells. 2) Reduces the risk of a post-transplant complication called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD occurs when the immune cells from the donated marrow or cord blood (the graft) attack your body (the host).
HLA Matching Requirements
There are many HLA markers. Research has found that a small number of them are most important to transplant outcomes. The NMDP sets minimum matching levels that must be met before a donor or cord blood unit from the NMDP Registry can be used for a transplant. The 6 HLA markers looked at for these minimum requirements are two A, two B and two DRB1 markers (see Figure 1). The transplant team currently concludes that Ethan and Eliot have a match at all 6 markers.
More to come…I’ll post later tonight about today’s procedures and my little superhero…
Posted in Ethan's Fight, Uncategorized
May 30th, 2007 at 7:48 PM
Johanna! We are cheering in our house reading your WONDERFUL news!!!!!! We have all prayed and prayed! Lindsey’s school is doing a “Relay for Life” tomorrow to raise money for cancer research. I asked Lindsey’s teacher if I could introduce the class to Ethan via the internet today! The teacher was thrilled to let room #11 meet Ethan and hear of his fight. I also told the class of the fundraisers for Ethan and your family happening in Rowley. Many of the children want to go to the ice cream/hot dog fundraiser in Ipswich on June 14th. Lindsey just finished making a big decorated jar with Ethan’s picture to bring to school tomorrow. The kids want to add to the coin collecting fundraiser too!! Ethan is famous in Merrimac with his darling face on the HUGE smartboard in the computer lab today!! Lots of Hugs, Susan, George, Caroline and Lindsey
May 30th, 2007 at 8:01 PM
Johanna and Yancy,
What wonderful news!!!!I am so happy for you all and know that you’re rejoicing in the moment. You will hear the cheers at CHMC from all of us on the Northshore. Ethan’s guardian angel is in “overdrive”. Love, Jane
May 30th, 2007 at 8:09 PM
Han And Yancy….Alleluia, we are dancing in the streets.I knew all those prayers would do great things. Fabulous news. We are going to keep on praying.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:38 PM
What a gift!! A glorious gift!! Now you’ve got two superheroes! We are going to the Relay For Life here in Scotia in two weeks, and I can’t wait to see all those luminaria burning bright in honor of Ethan, and in honor of all five of you and the incredible strength and spirit you have. I am simply in awe of you.
With love,
Sherry Tomasky