NEWSWISE — MAYWOOD, Ill. – On Sunday, Sept. 8, a 27-year-old Loyola Medicine patient will meet for the first time the Arizona man who donated bone marrow to save her life three times.
When Jenny Carillo was 23, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes, a condition that is more common in older patients. Because her condition put her at high risk, her doctors recommended an allogeneic stem cell transplant as her best chance for long-term survival. This bone marrow transplant was necessary to replace bone marrow cells damaged by high-dose chemotherapy. The transplanted cells would help Carillo's bone marrow function normally again.
Carillo's two brothers were tested but were not a match, so she had to rely on a stranger's bone marrow donation. “The preferred type of bone marrow donation is from a compatible sibling, but only 20 to 30 percent of the population has a compatible sibling,” said Stephanie Tsai, MD, medical director of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Loyola University. “Unrelated donors are the most common.”
Unfortunately, for Hispanic Americans like Carillo, finding a match outside of family can be difficult. In identifying a match, doctors look for donors whose cell surface proteins match the patient's — more specifically, their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. A patient's ethnic background is important in predicting the likelihood of finding a match. According to the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, only 13 percent of registered members identify as Hispanic or Latino.
David Farias has been donating blood for more than 20 years and decided to join the bone marrow registry to be a match for someone in need. Farias, who is Hispanic, registered for years before receiving a call that he was a match. He was overwhelmed when he found out the patient was a girl in her 20s, about the same age as his oldest daughter.
“I signed up because I wanted to help someone,” Farias said. “I may not be able to cure cancer, but I can save someone's life.”
Carillo received her first transplant from Dr. Farias on Feb. 4, 2020, while in remission. Eight months later, Carillo relapsed. She underwent chemotherapy to remove unhealthy cells before undergoing her second transplant in January 2021. Because her condition is high-risk, Carillo is undergoing a bone marrow biopsy, which will slowly reduce the amount of cancer cells. On July 25, doctors discovered she only had trace amounts of the disease.
This required a third donation from Farias, who was eager to help again. Carillo has now completed five days of outpatient chemotherapy combined with a donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) from Farias to boost her immune system. Carillo has now completed five days of outpatient chemotherapy combined with a donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) from Farias to boost her immune system.
“It's great that we were able to help somebody,” Farias said. “Hopefully this third round will help her get better and get her healthy.”
“He's saved my life twice already and now a third time,” Carrillo said. “Because of him, I was able to spend time with my family, get my degree and live my life. He gave me a new perspective on life and allowed me to live again, and for that I'm so grateful.”
Loyola is the largest and most experienced Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program Loyola Hospital of Illinois accepts referred patients from throughout the Midwest and offers a wide range of transplant options delivered by an experienced interdisciplinary transplant team. As an academic medical center, Loyola Hospital offers patients clinical trials of promising new treatments that are not available at most centers.
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About Loyola Medicine
Loyola MedicineMembers of Trinity Healthis a nationally ranked, academic, quaternary care health care system based in the western suburbs of Chicago. The three-hospital system includes: Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), Gottlieb Memorial Hospitaland McNeil Hospitaland conveniently located with primary care, specialty care and urgent care services from nearly 2,000 physicians throughout Cook, Will and DuPage counties. LUMC is a 547-bed licensed hospital located in Maywood. William G. and Mary A. Ryan Center for Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer CenterJohn L. Keeley, MD, Emergency Department, Level 1 Trauma CenterIllinois' largest Burn CenterCertified Comprehensive Stroke Center, Transplant Center and Children's HospitalAfter more than 50 years of providing compassionate care, Loyola is also preparing the next generation of caregivers through an academic partnership with Loyola University Chicago. Stritch School of Medicine and Marcella Niehoff School of NursingFounded in 1961, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Judd A. Weinberg Emergency Department, a 247-bed licensed community hospital in Melrose Park; Loyola Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Center, Loyola Cancer Care & Research at the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Center, Acute rehabilitationTransitional Care Center, Nursery school and Fitness Center. McNeil Hospital Located in Berwyn, it is a 374-bed accredited teaching hospital with advanced medical, surgical and psychiatric services and a 68-bed behavioral health program.
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About Trinity Health
Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit Catholic health systems in the United States. With 121,000 colleagues and approximately 36,500 physicians and clinicians, Trinity Health System cares for diverse communities across 27 states. Nationally recognized for its care and experience, Trinity Health System includes 101 hospitals, 126 continuing care facilities, the second-largest PACE program in the nation, 136 urgent care facilities, and many other health and human services. In fiscal year 2023, the Livonia, Michigan-based health system invested $1.5 billion in its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. For more information, visit www.trinityhealth.com/. Trinity HealthOr follow us LinkedIn, Facebookand X (formerly known as Twitter).
