Feeling Sad for Robin Roberts

agreed...I started crying watching her announcement this morning.  She is one amazingand inspirational woman.  I never even heard of the condition and immediately started to research it when she said it. 

Maggie

Gosh, I didn't know til I saw it on this board.

The poor thing, she's been thru so much.  How lucky she has a sister who is a match.  That is a blessing.

I hope that it totally cures her.  It sounded like she has a good chance at total cure.  Praying for her.

I really love Robin Roberts. As this is "pre-cancer", I hope that she is in the best of health to have the transplant and that the transplant is succesful. It is horrible that the treatments we receive can, although rare, cause this condition for some.  I'm just glad they caught it early.  I wish she was on here so we could ask her a zillion questions......

Wouldn't be surprised if she probably is here, or has been here, or when she has more time free during treatment, will be here, but like most people, would be here relatively anonymously as a patient with a nickname, not flaunting her 'name'.

My mother had Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) that disease is no joke.  I pray and hope for the best for her.  She is very lucky to have a bone marrow donor as that is the only way to really go with it.  What kills me is we were told this was such a rare disease when my mom got it and it is being to become more and more common.

It's reported to be due to chemo.

I know. Worrisome.

pinkpearl - it says "radiation" not just chemo .... both can cause this

Pinkpearl------they quoted stats as being 18,000 new cases of MDS a year, but only 300 being from cancer treatment (chemo or radiation); that's less than 2%.  (so it really is a rare SE)  In the majority of cases, they don't know what causes it. My MIL died of MDS within 4 months of diagnosis (progressed into full blown leukemia), but never had chemo or rads. My FIL has been battling with MDS almost 2 years, he did have radiation after prostate CA several years ago. Did it cause it? The doctors say no; we think it was something environmental since they both  had it.

Anne 

My grandmother died at the age of 91 from MDS. She never had cancer or cancer treatment of any kind. A friend's mom died from the same thing at 75. Also no cancer or cancer treatment. I hope that fear of Robin Robert's experience does not keep women from getting the treatment they need.

Mary 

Lee7,

I just saw your post.  My mother's transformed from MDS to AML and she died quite quickly as soon as that diagnosis was made.  I will say her quality of life was horrible the last 2 years. You don't know what your blood cells do for you till it isn't doing it's job anymore.

Jeez, now I got a message that Dr. Susan Love has leukemia.  Does anyone know anything about her treatment? 

Yes, I hope anyone hearing her story understands that this se is rare. With informed consent patients should be aware of this anyway. I also heard about the huge increase in marrow donor registration. I understand it is particularly important to get more potential donors who are ethnic/racial minorities. Dr. Besser mentioned that she had a PICC line in her arm and this morning she was wearing a one shouldered dress with an elbow length sleeve on her left arm that, mostly, covered it. I love her optimism and her "just do it" attitude. Caryn