Lymphoma Patient Saved by Cord Blood Transplant

Wendy Gorrell was diagnosed with lymphoma shortly after turning 40-years-old. The prognosis for the disease can often be deadly, but she is alive and well today and she owes her life to two anonymous mothers who donated their children’s cord blood.

In 2007, Wendy began experiencing bouts of fatigue. She thought nothing of it, believing that it had more to do with her age than anything else. It wasn’t until 16 lumps appeared on her head that she decided to seek medical attention. After a biopsy, Wendy was diagnosed with lymphoma, cancer in the immune system’s lymphatic cells.

Lymphoma can cause a wide range of symptoms, including weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes and shortness of breath. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be used to alleviate the symptoms, but the lymphoma is incurable.

Wendy spent the next several months undergoing chemotherapy, destroying her immune system. In 2009, she received a stem cell transplant that would help to rebuild the damaged cells. She received two sets of stem cells, one from a baby boy in Italy and a newborn girl from the United States. She was implanted with both, as doctors wanted to ensure that at least one set would take.

Today, Wendy has been in remission for two years. She takes anti-rejection drug and other steroids to keep herself healthy and has a positive outlook for the future as an ambassador for the Be The Match organization.