The physical toll a bone marrow transplant takes on families is great-but the financial toll is just as burdensome. Because treatment and recovery often result in the loss of at least one income per family, insurance payments simply cannot cover the cost.
Elias Zibrowski, a 6-year-old from Maple Grove, Minn., was born with a severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID), a fatal disease. Though he received a transplant as an infant, doctors warned his parents that Elias wouldn't make it to his first birthday. On top of the emotional strain of having a sick child, his parents both lost their jobs after relocating to be closer to their son's transplant center.
Elias is now thriving thanks to a successful transplant-and much-needed financial assistance from Be the Match Foundation, a registry operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). In addition to providing transplant matches and umbilical cord donations, Be the Match helps cover some of the costs associated with transplants. And the group is working harder than ever to invest in cutting-edge research to help patients live longer, healthier lives.
Helping patients like Elias is easy-you can even do it from your Flickr, Twitter, or Facebook account. Visit Be a Match Foundation to find out more.