We need your prayers and financial help for my nephew, Daniel Laughter who is having a stem cell transplant after Christmas. He was born with a life threatening disease called CGD. It is an immune problem where his blood cells are missing a gene that fights infections. He has been studied & in the care of National Institute for Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD since infancy. CGD causes serious infections that manifest unpredictably anywhere in his body. He went to NIH late Sept & was diagnosed with fungal infections in his lung, brain and spine. The infections are causing damage to his body & drs have not been able to find an effective medication to fight the infections so they say he needs a stem cell transplant to survive. It was a terrifying decision for him to make since there are no guarantees of the transplant being successful either but they have no other options to offer at this point & they feel he is a good candidate for the transplant. The good news is, if his body doesn’t reject the transplant, he will be totally cured of CGD!! Amazing!!! A donor match was found and the process to prep his body for the transplant began late Oct. when he went thru a painful procedure called aphresis. Daniel went home for a short time but was back at NIH on 12/10/17 for blood work, MRI & CAT scans to monitor the progress of the infections. The scans showed the infections are worse but he was reluctantly allowed to go home until after Christmas. He will go back to NIH on 12/27/17. New scans at that time will determine if they can proceed with 12 days of chemo & then the transplant or put him on another antibiotic IV they have avoided up to now due to the serious side affects. (Kidney Failure) We don’t know now exactly when the chemo & transplant will happen but when it’s done, he will be in-patient at NIH for 30 – 45 days before he can leave in-patient care. Daniel is not charged by NIH while he is admitted to the hospital. This is such a blessing and we are so thankful for that, however, after the transplant when he is released from the hospital, he is required to live very near NIH for 3-4 months at his own expense. It is also required that he have someone with him 24/7 in case his body tries to reject the transplant. His mother is taking leave from her job to be with him during this time. I am asking for your help, on Daniel’s behalf, to help pay for a place to live & living expenses for him & his mother until he is allowed to go home to MS. His transplant social worker recommended we begin fund raising now & the estimated amount needed due to the high cost of living in Bethesda, MD for 2 people close to NIH & near public transportation services (they will not have a vehicle to use). We appreciate your prayers of faith that the transplant will be successful so Daniel will finally be cured after nearly 34 years of battling the affects of CGD. We appreciate any amount you can donate and/or raise on his behalf. Thank you so much and God bless you.
