Happily Ever Avery 4.12.2021

What is CAR-T Therapy for Pediatric Leukemia Patients

CAR-T cell therapy is an immunotherapy that boosts the power of the immune system to attack cancer cells using the body’s own T-cells.

First, Avery is still doing amazing, all things considered. It’s been a quiet day at the hospital: playing, sleeping, eating, pooping.

Normal baby stuff!

Mom and Dad are getting a bit of cabin fever, so if you want a room tour, head to Mom’s IG.

We still haven’t heard back from the Ronald McDonald House, so looking at hotel options once again. They really miss Big Sis, so we need to get her back down there, and they need to get out of the hospital for a bit.

Still haven’t heard back from the insurance either. That’s a big part of the waiting game for now.

Otherwise, since it’s quiet, we wanted to try to explain CAR T-Cell Therapy.

What is CAR-T Therapy for Pediatric Leukemia Patients

CAR T-Cell Therapy

The graphic above gives a bit more detailed explanation, but I’m going to try to explain the way it was explained to us:

  • The team will go in and harvest Avery’s good cells
  • These cells will be “sent to college” for a few weeks to learn how to recognize and kill the bad cells
  • Once they “graduate,” they’ll be returned back into Avery’s body to do the thing they’ve been taught to do: kill the bad cells

The best case scenario:

  • REMISSION within the first 30 days (there will be a bone marrow biopsy on day 30 and 90% of the cases show remission)
  • They then do a bone marrow biopsy at 3 months and again at 6 months

If they begin to see a rise in the “bad cells,” they’ll consider it an early relapse and go forward with the bone marrow transplant in order to stop the cancer before it can continue to grow.

Of course, we’re praying for REMISSION and then, CURED. ?

This is why we’re asking everyone (especially those 18-44) to join the registry at Be The Match to be included in the search!

A FREE kit will be sent to you. Just mail it back ASAP.

You can easily click this link https://join.bethematch.org/everAvery or simply text everavery to 61474

Help us bring awareness by sharing with others.?

Remember: YOU could be the CURE!


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