Show Please dont don't let my mommy die Nicki Boodrookas Contributing Writer M afraid if I die Stevie's I IM I'M not going to remember me Im I'm going to have to find parents who are willing to tell her all about me said Jane Ann Lee former model and student during a discussion about her two- two year- year old daughter and the illness ill illness illness ill ill- ness that will eventually take her from her child On October 24 Lee was diagnosed with chronic leukemia which will take her life if a abone abone abone bone marrow transplant is not provided According to toLee toLee toLee Lee there weren't many symptoms just some headaches and bruising and finally that's how they found it I just went in for a regular check up and had a really bad bruise They took my blood to see what was wrong and found the leukemia Since that time Lee has been treated with milligrams milligrams milligrams mil mil- of chemotherapy a aday aday aday day with no apparent result Though there is no real cure a bone marrow transplant would give Lee another five to ten years of life The transplant would provide her with a possible chance to see seea a cure developed but most especially a chance to ext ex- ex 11 Si t 1 f 0 c. c f tM O Of Of o. o i J t. t t.- t. i ii 4 her daughters daughter's childhood After the birth of her baby in order to provide amore a amore amore more stable living environment environment environment environ environ- ment Lee gave up a professional professional professional modeling career in order to return to school thus Medicaid is her only in in- j y ti wn avenue and they will not pay for the compatible donor search Medicaid will pay for the transplant if I pass their standard criteria test but they wont won't pay for forthe forthe forthe the search They consider it not medically necessary she explained According to Lee Medicaid's reasoning is that brothers and sisters are usually usually usually usual usual- ly the best possible donors but approximately 1100 bone marrow transplants were performed performed performed per per- formed last year without sib- sib 1 f ft r n c I Ift ling participation and Medicaid just hasn't changed its policy yet Therefore it isLee is isLee isLee Lee who is left to pay the necessary to find a donor and harvest the bone marrow Another twist in the system system system tem occurs if Lee is fortunate enough to raise the money needed If that money is put into a bank account with her name on it Medicaid will subsequently cut off aid and she will lose state assistance therefore accounts have been set up at the three valley branches of Deseret First Credit Union to accept donations donations dona dona- for the JAL fund Lee feels this way people can make donations and it keeps Medicaid off my back The process by which bone marrow is harvested involves involves involves in in- three blood tests If they all match the donor will undergo a 45 minute procedure to remove 2 pints of the heal healthy thy bone marrow Those interested in having blood tested can get on the registry free at ARUP ARU located at the University Hospital rm and Intermountain Marrow Donor program at atthe atthe atthe the Hospital blood bank Lee said that she pays for the harvesting of bone marrow from the that is raised and by just being tested you are not obligated in any anyway way activities vice dent ent Glen Glen Forbes said CAB AB ABIS j is coordinating a raising fund-raising 4 campaign to raise the funds necessary for Jane Ann Lees Lee's donor search Donations will be taken in Lees Lee's name at atthe j the Student Activity office 1 by Barbara Madsen or i Gordon Wilson Kari Karl Fuller t SOAR representative added II At At this time of giving we should take this opportunity to help someone in need If everyone on campus campus cam carn- p pus s donated we could I raise all the money necessary to extend Lees Lee's life and provide provide pro pro- i vide Stevie with the time to 2 get to know her mother t nl 1 |