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Tonight: Support Nanuet Student At Vogue Salon
Her brother is a perfect match so he's donating for her stem cell transplant
Life of a middle-schooler is hard enough, but when a medical condition is thrown into the mix, it gets even harder.
Pearl River Resident Kelly Rooney attends eighth grade at Barr Middle School. She was recently diagnosed with Pediatric Myelodysplastic Syndrome–MDS, formerly known as preleukemia.
“Kelly’s closest friends formed TEAM KELLY to show their support and to let Kelly know ‘We’ve got your back!’’ said Camille O’Connor of Team Kelly.
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There will be a fundraiser at in Nanuet on Thursday, Nov. 17 from 4-8 p.m. to show support for Rooney by getting a purple hair or feather extension. Money being raised is being donated in her name to The Carolyn Sullivan Memorial Foundation, a foundation which improves the quality of life for children battling illnesses.
The only cure for MDS is a stem cell transplant along with numerous transfusions after a high chemotherapy treatment.
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“Kelly is currently being treated at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital and is now an outpatient due to her positive progress,” said O’Connor. “Her big brother Christopher (is) now known fondly as “Kelly’s Hero” aka “Donor Boy” for being a perfect match for her desperately needed stem cell transplant. Kelly has a long road ahead of her and continues to receive numerous platelet/blood transfusions from family and friends thanks to a wonderful program set up at Sloan Kettering.”
About MDS
MDS is the name of a condition that occurs when the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow are damaged. This damage leads to low numbers of one or more types of blood cells. The damaged cells have problems making new blood cells.
Many of the blood cells that are made by these damaged cells are not normal. The body destroys many of these abnormal blood cells, leaving the person without enough normal blood cells and with dangerously low blood counts. The patient is left with low blood counts of the red and white cells along with platelets (platelets are used to stop any type of bleeding).
“These platelet donations mean the world to Kelly and her family and to many patients dealing with MDS and other illnesses,” said O’Connor.
For more information on how to donate platelets, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Donor Program at 212-639-8177 or visit www.mskcc.org/blooddonations
For more information: www.VogueSalon.net
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