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On the first day of 2023, my husband Mike was a newly minted inpatient at Wilmot Cancer Center, being told just the day before that he had Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Fast forward through a couple of chemo treatments, clinical trial drugs, and bone marrow biopsies, and on April 11 Mike received a stem cell transplant, and was home 13 days later.

Mike would spend the next couple of months recovering and building back his strength.  If you see him today, you’d never know he was sick.  A true miracle! 

And that medical care happened just 10 minutes from our home in Rochester, overseen by nationally recognized leukemia experts.  How lucky we – and all of those who live in the upstate New York region --  are to be so close to such extraordinarily sophisticated care in a beautiful facility!  And delivered by compassionate and empathetic practitioners. 

But not all are so fortunate.  In a strange and unfortunate twist of fate, in November of 2023 my sister “Dino” also underwent a stem cell transplant at Mt. Sinai in New York city (she lived in Long Island). My sister’s experience was sadly different:  she passed away from a rare chemotherapy complication less than 20 days after receiving the transplant.  She is terribly missed.   

But think about it:  Twice in one year, in one family, with the same blood cancer???!!   

That’s why I’m honoring my husband and my dear sister by participating in the Wilmot Warrior Weekend.  I’ll join a great team of walkers, runners and bikers to raise money for Wilmot Cancer Center. And did you know that 100% of the money raised stays in Rochester?  Wilmot leaders use the money to fund “research start ups” so physicians and researchers can continue to pursue treatments that cure cancer.  One of the research studies funded from last year’s Warrior Weekend is looking at ways to lull cancer cells into a forever sleep!  Wouldn’t that be great?!  We need more experiences like Mike had, and way less than what my poor sister suffered through.

Thank you for considering a donation!  I’ll be biking at least 50 miles on September 22.  Maybe 75!  Consider sponsoring me $.50 cents or $1 a mile!  Or, become a Warrior yourself!  We’d love to have you join our team. 

Thanks again!

 #WilmotWarrior #DocMikeRocs