For college athlete-turned transplant patient, life’s still a ball

The first time a stem cell transplant recipient leaves his or her quarantined hospital room marks a significant milestone. In the case of Dana Mendes, this move toward independence included an additional step: chasing a ball through the hallways with a stick. For Mendes, 18, it was a return to what she loves. She had been just two days away from her first preseason field hockey practice at Assumption College in August 2015 when a mysterious bout of fatigue was diagnosed as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This precancerous condition, in which immature blood cells in the bone marrow do not mature to become healthy blood cells, required treatment at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center – including a life-saving stem cell transplant in December 2015. Recovery time for a transplant recipient can take nearly a year, during which the patient is largely isolated as their new immune system gains strength. For Mendes, this meant delaying her entire freshman year of college while healing at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s and later at home in Merrimack, New Hampshire. But rather than be discouraged by this setback, Mendes is energized by her faith and an outpouring of support. In the months before her transplant, although she was too weak to play, her coaches listed her on the Assumption team roster and invited her to don her uniform and watch games alongside her teammates. She also helped out the Merrimack High team she once captained, and students at b...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center myelodysplastic syndrome stem cell transplant Source Type: news