Here is a message from Kethan's mom:

"Hi everyone!

Today is 52 days post-transplant, and I am happy to say that Kethan is doing well. Last Wednesday, we did another Bone Marrow aspiration/biopsy to check his graft status. They told me that he is currently one hundred per cent donor!! His overall counts are recovering slowly. They say that his marrow has seen so much chemo over the last 6 years, they are not surprised by this. His counts have stabilized, and in fact he has not needed any transfusions in 3 weeks. So, the journey may be slow, and long, but we are going in the right direction ...., and hopefully closer to home."

Unhooked!!

GREAT NEWS ABOUT KETHAN!

It's official -- engraftment of Kethan's mom's stem cells has occurred!!!! We've always known Kethan to be our little fighter... He is showing once again! Thank you for all the love and prayers, Team Kethan!

Today is day +17, and 26 days inpatient! Kethan is doing well so far. His white blood cell count has gone up, and he has an ANC of 1370! If his ANC is still above 1000 tomorrow, they will officially declare him "engrafted". So, fingers crossed, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, out of the hospital and into our home soon. Thank you everyone for all the positive energy, prayers, e-mails, cards etc.

This Good Morning America story is a must-see! Please register as a bone marrow donor. You never know whose life you might save. This beautiful African American woman was saved by a wonderful, selfless stranger, a Caucasian young man. I always thought that you could only match someone from your own race or ethnicity, but it ain't necessarily so!!! Thank you so much to Vicky Ellison for bringing this to my attention. :-)  Click on the link below to watch/read the story:

Cancer Survivor Meets Her Bone Marrow Donor for First Time on GMA

It's Day +11 and Kethan continues to be doing quite well! He is still having fevers, but they are becoming less frequent and the doctors don't believe they are due to an infection. Go Kethan! We love you and are rooting for you!

Update on Kethan

It's Day +7 and Kethan's mom writes,"Fevers have started! Hope they are not infections. Kethan is still doing well, aside from the fever, which actually, fingers, toes and everything else, crossed, seems to be at bay. Apparently, fever and transfusions are daily occurrences in the BMT world!"

 

 -This photograph was taken on Day +6, before Kethan started running a fever.

It's Day +3 and Kethan's mom reports that, for the most part, he is doing o.k.! He's feeling bored and would like to go home to Austin. Just waiting for his mom's stem cells to engraft... 

Update on Lanham, Maryland Bone Marrow Donor Drive

Team Kethan Maryland registered 36 donors of South Asian descent and approximately 15 more donors online. Thank you to Sharmini Campos, Jaya Sinnathamby, Ashvin Sinnathamby and Vikram Sinnathamby! Go Team Kethan!

Latest photos of Kethan, post-transplant

Kethan's Re-Birthday, 8/10/2012!

Day 1, having my morning cup of tea!

Today is the day that Kethan receives his bone marrow transplant! The next 30 days are critical as we wait for engraftment of the transplanted stem cells. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you to everyone for your support and friendship.

Bone Marrow Donor Drive in Lanham, MD on 8/11/12

 

If you are in the Lanham, Maryland area this weekend, please stop by the Sri SivaVishnu Temple (6905 Cipriano Road) between noon and 4 p.m. to "get swabbed" and save a life! The registry needs YOU!

Update on Kethan

Thankfully, Kethan responded remarkably well to the monoclonal antibody therapy he received in Houston, and he achieved remission in a short period of time.  Because his leukemia is so aggressive, the doctors have said he needs a bone marrow transplant right away.

Unfortunately, there is still  not a matching donor in the bone marrow registry and time has run out to find one, so the doctors are moving forward with an alternative treatment.  Kethan's mother will be the stem cell donor ("haploidentical related donor").  While she is not a perfect match, the doctors have found ways to improve patient outcomes with "haplo" donors.  Kethan's doctors are very pleased with his response to the monoclonal antibodies and seem optimistic about the transplant.

Kethan is currently receiving the pre-transplant preparatory regimen (chemotherapy and total body irradiation).  God willing, the transplant will take place this Friday, August 10th, his Re-birthday!  Following the transplant, he will be inpatient for 30 days in Houston.

Thank you very much for all of your support. Please keep Kethan and his family in  your prayers!

Progress Report [July 30]

Yesterday was the big drive in Austin, Texas! Here are the results of yesterday's drive:

• Number of donors registered yesterday: 359
• Donations accepted yesterday: $6,756
• Online donations to date: $345
• 30 online requests from Austin for kits over the weekend

Thank you to all who came and who have been spreading the word!

Bone Marrow Donor Drive This Weekend in Austin, Texas!

Sunday, July 29th, 2012
12:00 p.m.- 5 p.m.
Ronald McDonald House
1315 Barbara Jordan Blvd. (next to Dell Children's Medical Center)
Austin, Texas 78723
Free Parking

You can change the odds for patients like Kethan and so many others in need of a bone marrow transplant. All it takes is a simple cheek swab, and you can become a hero in waiting. Please join us on Sunday and bring along some friends! All ethnicities are needed and welcome! We need to BROADEN and DIVERSIFY the registry! TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS!!

Attention Everyone in Arlington and Sugar Land, Texas

Date: Saturday, July 21st, 2012
Time: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Place: Grace Preparatory Academy
               3300 West Interstate 20
               Arlington, TX 76017


Date: Sunday, July 22, 2012
Time: 11am to 4pm
Place: Udipi Cafe
              3551 Highway 6 S  
              Sugar Land, TX 77478

Progress Report [July 20]

Two weeks ago, there was a bone marrow drive for Cure for Kethan in Tampa, Florida. Thanks to Dr. Vijay Mehta and the donors, 95 people have been added to the bone marrow registry! With your commitment, we are saving lives.

Please take a few minutes to watch this eye-opening MSNBC story...

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/48142203#48142203

Progress Report [July 19]

Last Sunday, July 15th the Dallas/Fort Worth Hindu Temple conducted a drive where they added 75 individuals to the bone marrow registry! To top it off, they will be holding drives every Sunday for the next 3 months. Thank you, D/FW Hindu Temple for your outstanding work. A special thank you to Mahalakshmi Sivakumar for taking charge and to Mr.Chinni and Mr. Sriram Raju for their support. We truly are making progress and should keep this momentum going. Together we can build the registry!

Save the Date: Austin, TX

BECOME A LIFESAVER!

BONE MARROW DONOR DRIVE                                           

Sunday, July 29, 2012

12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Ronald McDonald House

1315 Barbara Jordan Blvd.

(next to Dell Children’s Medical Center)