“Johnnie L. Lewis, fondly known as JL, age 25 lost his battle on July 28, 2012. He had a bone marrow/stem cell transplant on June 1 after taking high dose chemo. My son was diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma on July 7, 2011.
After multiple chemo treatments, the cancer spread to other organs. A bone marrow/stem cell transplant was his only cure. The national registry was searched multiple times yet a match was not found. I have two other sons who were both tested and did not match. Although I was tested as his mother I was told I was the ‘best match’. Not sure what that meant all I wanted was save my son’s life. As a donor the collection requires that you force extra steam cells to be produced one week before the transplant.
Although I experienced some pain it was nothing like what my son had endured for the past year. My son started to graft 6 weeks after the transplant. This lasted for about 2 weeks, the 3rd week is when his blood counts started to drop, the Bone Marrow doctors tried to fight off other infections that was taking over his body. It was suggested that I collect more stem cells, but it was too late his blood cells dropped to zero as well as his other vitals.
My son passed because his body rejected the bone marrow/stem cell transplant, I was told that I was not a 100% match and that is why his body rejected.” – written by JL’s mother Turesa Lewis
