Welcome to the February 2019 edition of our nbmtLINK E-nnouncement
Heartfelt Support is Here.
Happy Valentine's Day to All!
We strive to educate, inspire and offer support and hope to patients, caregivers and health care professionals navigating the bone marrow transplant journey.
It is truly our honor. Visit our website often for recorded series, blogs sure to inspire and much more.


Meet Guest Bloggers Survivor Lew
and his Loving Caregiver
Merle Christie

He Said, She Said, They Said


You are going to love this incredible couple and their perspective!

Click above to read more.

Check Out Our New Interactive Resource Guide Online
We’re Getting Real Personal!

Our new Online Resource Guide will make you feel like it was built just for you.
To check it out, visit www.nbmtlink.org and click on Find Help, located in the top right corner.

The nbmtLINK is excited to launch this new interactive, easy to navigate online directory sure to help patients, families and health care professionals find specific resources based on patients’ individualized needs. Users can search by specific needs, i.e. co-pay, lodging, medication assistance and more.

Concise keywords will enable users to easily find information regarding bone marrow/stem cell transplant, finances, caregiver issues, cGVHD, clinical trials, donor information, fertility, pediatric cancer and more. With more than 170 reliable, trustworthy resources uploaded, users will feel empowered and encouraged that help is available. 

We also have a FREE print version available and ready to ship upon request. Please send your request to Cindy Burke, cindyburke@nbmtlink.org

Let us know what you think.

Questions, call 1-800-LINK BMT
Visit www.nbmtlink.org to get started!
Our next Lunch & Learn is
Wednesday, February 20, 2019, at NOON EST
Join Us for Our Next FREE Lunch and Learn! 

A Telephone Support Program for Patients and Their Families/Caregivers/Loved Ones 


Heartfelt Caregiver Support
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at NOON EST

This month’s one hour telephone educational and support program will focus on caregiving. Our professional speaker, Dr. Michelle Bishop, a licensed clinical health psychologist helps patients and families manage the psychosocial aspects of cancer with a unique expertise in caregiving. Additionally, Marcella Costin, a loving caregiver to her husband John will share her personal experience. There will be plenty of time for relevant questions related to this topic. Please note: this session will not cover medical treatments or specific diseases. 

Dial in information is included on the registration form, Technical questions, call Peggy Burkhard, 248-770-5172 or  peggyburkhard@nbmtlink.org .
 
Join us at lunchtime (Noon EST) from the comfort of your home or desk to learn more about this important topic. The nbmtLINK’s licensed social worker, Jennifer Gillette, will facilitate and lead this program. Please note: this session will not cover medical treatments or specific diseases. If you would like to talk to Jen one on one regarding other topics, please email Jen at  jennifergillette@nbmtlink.org . There will be plenty of time for relevant questions related to this month's topic.The call in information is contained in the form you use to register. Note: YOU call in to participa te. (We do not call you.)

Meredith A. Cowden Foundation

Presents


2019 Graft versus Host Disease Symposium
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday, April 26, 2019
at the
Cleveland Airport Marriott
(Free event for patients and their families)

This unique conference, which focuses on cutting edge research and new treatments, consists of two tracks: one designed for physicians and other health care professionals, and one for bone marrow transplant (BMT) survivors, families and caregivers.

The Meredith A. Cowden Foundation in collaboration with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, and Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, created the National GvHD Health Symposium in 2010 to raise awareness about Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD), to promote research to further our understanding of its cause, and to review cutting edge approaches to prevention and treatment.

Attendees are able to interact with some of the world’s leading authorities on GvHD, a complication that affects over 60% of bone marrow transplant patients.


Survey Opportunity

Your time will make a difference for parents of children with cancer.

Eastern MI University's
Department of Psychology 
seeks caregivers of children with cancer to participate in an online study,

“Social Media Use in Parents of Children with Cancer”

Who can participate? 
  • Individuals over the age of 18
  • A parent or caregiver of a child who has a cancer diagnosis and is either currently in remission or receiving treatment

What is involved? Completing an online survey which will take 30-45 minutes.

Answer questions about: 

  • your social support system, your social media use, and how satisfied you are with the support you receive from others 
  • your child’s diagnosis and treatment status
  • basic demographics about you and your child 

What are the benefits?

  • Although you may not benefit personally from participating in this study, your responses will help us to provide better support to other families coping with pediatric cancer in the future

To take this survey please follow this link:

For more information, please contact Kristina Brookshire-Gay at Kbrook35@emich.edu
Principal Investigator: Kristina Brookshire-Gay, M.A.
Faculty Advisor :  Dr. Michelle Byrd, Ph.D

How We Help Others!
We are a phone call away for patients and their loved ones. From one on one peer support to scheduled call series and webinars, we are ready to ease your burden.
Patients, caregivers and health care professionals are amongst those we aim to help through our valued resource books, programs and one on one calls.
We simply cannot do it without the support of corporations, foundations and individuals willing to make a difference in the lives of others.
We Invite You to Become an nbmtLINK Link Partner!
Link Partners include cancer centers and allied partners who annually support our mission of providing psychosocial support to patients, caregivers, their families and health care professionals dedicated to helping people navigate a bone marrow transplant. If you would like to learn more about the many benefits (books, programs, hyperlink on our website, bookmark inclusion) to being a Link Partner, please do not hesitate to contact us at (248) 358-1886. Want a free bookmark which lists our many Link Partners? Let us know and we will send you one!

 American Society for Blood & Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT)
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center
Be The Match Patient Support Center
Blood Marrow Transplant Program at Northside Hospital
Blood & Marrow Transplant Program, The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University
Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR)
City of Hope 
Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center
DKMS US
Duke Adult Blood & Marrow Transplant Program, Duke Cancer Institute
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network
Henry Ford Cancer Institute Stem Cell Transplant program
Incyte Corporation
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Meredith A. Cowden Foundation
Nebraska Medicine
Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University
School of Medicine 
Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center
Spectrum Health Cancer Center
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center
Thank your for being a friend of the nbmtLINK. We simply could not do this without you. If you can support our efforts at this time, we thank you in advance. Every dollar helps..

Sincerely,
Peggy Burkhard
Peggy Burkhard
Executive Director
(248) 358-1886
National Bone Marrow Transplant Link