Happy Spring to all.

We wish you warmer and lighter days ahead.

Meet Brad Buchanan

In this raw and honest account, Brad Buchanan shares the painful, complicated reality of living with Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) — a life-threatening condition born from the very treatment that

saved him from cancer.

From blindness and debilitating pain to the long, unpredictable recovery, Buchanan sheds light on the physical and emotional cost of survival, reminding readers that “beating cancer” is often just the beginning of a much longer battle.

To read Brad's blog, click here:

Lunch & Learn

with the LINK

A Telephone Support CALL IN Program for Patients,

Families/Caregivers/Loved Ones

Coping with Isolation and the Unknown Post Transplant.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Noon to 1 pm EST

To register, click here:

This month’s call-in program will focus on dealing with post-transplant isolation, including the timeline for doctor/clinic visits and common complications survivors can expect. Dawn Speckhart, Ph.D. Clinical Health Psychologist, Cellular Therapy and Leukemia Program at Northside Hospital will offer coping skills and strategies to manage the frustration experienced in waiting to get back to real life. As well, Kathleen Stewart, of Portland, Oregon and a long time AML survivor, will share her personal experience, offering hope and inspiration. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

To ask a question during the Q & A portion of this program, once the operator says the lines have been opened, hit the star key on your phone and then the number 1. Please address yourself when asking a question in the best way to protect your identity if desired.

If you have any technical issues related to registering, please email, peggyburkhard@nbmtlink.org or call (248) 770-5172. The call-in information is contained in the form you use to register. Note: YOU call in to participate. (We do not call you.) A reminder will be sent once the Monday before the program.

This FREE program is intended to provide psychosocial and emotional

support along with health information from national experts regarding

critical topics surrounding cancer and treatments.

This program is recorded and available on our website one week after airing live.

We Thank Our Sponsors:

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Foundation, Incyte and Johnson & Johnson.

We also thank our Esteemed Link Partners, listed at the end of this newsletter.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has some great new programs to share!

The Bloodline with LLS Podcast-Beyond the Transplant:

Navigating Graft-vs-Host Disease (GVHD) with guest, Dr, Alison Loren from the University of Pennsylvania:

Check it out by clicking here:

A stem cell transplant for blood cancer is just the beginning – what may come next for the patient can be a complex journey. In this episode, Dr. Alison Loren of the University of Pennsylvania discusses graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), a possible complication of transplantation – exploring the latest advancements in treatment and how patients and caregivers can navigate the challenges ahead.

Key Insights: Treating Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

April 29, 2025, at 1 pm EST

Learn more about this event by clicking here: https://na.eventscloud.com/website/84548/

We invite you to learn more about:

• Current and emerging treatments for ALL

• Side-effect management

• Building strong communication with your healthcare team

Proud to be a partner of this

wonderful survivorship event.

To register for this May 3-9 Survivorship Symposium, please click here:

Feeling overwhelmed by all of the practical and financial issues that come with a chronic or serious medical condition diagnosis?

Proud to partner with Triage Health, who is hosting a FREE conference on May 17 for patients,

caregivers, and health care professionals:

This FREE online event provides valuable information on key topics for navigating the practical and legal issues that may impact an individual diagnosed with a chronic or serious medical condition.

Topics for this year’s conference include:

• Health insurance options & navigation

• Tips for using health insurance, picking a plan, & appealing denials

• Managing finances, medical bills, & financial help

• Tools for making decisions about work

• Estate planning

• Getting organized

• Becoming an empowered patient and advocate

Free continuing education for professionals is also available.

Find the answers to your questions at this event. For more information & registration, visit:

TriageHealth.org/Conferences.

Visit this link to register and learn more:

Join our Mosaic

If you live with Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), or are a caregiver, health care provider, GVHD Alliance partner, or GVHD advocate, we’d love your support in growing a stronger community.

The GVHD Mosaic is a dynamic, interactive experience where you can share your story with people all over the world. Over time, our goal is to collect as many stories as we can, to

Raise awareness
Build a sense of hope
Help each other learn more about detecting and managing GVHD signs and symptoms

We’re so excited to see what our amazing community can create together. We hope to see your story soon.

Visit this link to learn more and add your short story

Help us continue to add to our mosaic of hope!

About the GVHD Alliance

The GVHD Alliance is empowering voices in the GVHD community to increase awareness and help improve the lives of people living with GVHD. The GVHD Alliance has developed a unified platform that facilitates a nurturing community for people living with GVHD, connecting resources, education, and support

How We Help Others!

Peer Support

On-Call Program

We are a phone call or email away for patients and their loved ones.

1-800-546-5268

info@nbmtlink.org

Celebrate Your Second Birthday

Help Us

Help Others

We cannot do it without the support of corporations, foundations and individuals like you!

Donate Now

We Invite You to Become a LINK Partner

We thank the following partners.

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 to being a Link Partner including access to a large allocation of books and signage throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact Peggy, (248) 358-1886 or peggyburkhard@nbmtlink.org.

Platinum Level Link Partner

Blood Marrow Transplant Program at Northside Hospital

Gold Level Link Partners

American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT)

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center

Blood Marrow Transplant Program at Northside Hospital

Corewell Health

Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Incyte

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Center