Denise’s Story: Blue Skies Ahead

When a workplace fall landed Denise Goldberg in the hospital with a broken hip, the last thing she expected to hear was, “You have cancer.”

A series of abnormal blood tests and subsequent bone marrow biopsy confirmed she had a type of blood cell cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome or MDS.

“That news hit me totally out of the blue,” Goldberg said. “Until my accident, I thought I was a healthy, active 66-year-old.”

MDS occurs when the blood forming cells in the bone marrow become abnormal and no longer do their job properly. Gene changes in the bone marrow or prolonged exposure to radiation or some chemicals can increase the risk of developing MDS.

Not everyone is eligible, but for some people with MDS, a bone marrow or stem cell transplant is their only chance for a cure.

To consider her options, Goldberg met with hematologist/oncologist Zhifu Xiang, M.D., Ph.D., at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute. There, she was introduced to an entire team specializing in the care and treatment of her particular type of cancer.

“My medical team went the extra mile to discover my cancer. I trusted they would take care of me.” – Denise Goldberg

Because the risk for MDS increases with age, most people, like Goldberg, are diagnosed with this cancer in their late 60s or 70s. In one of three patients, MDS progresses to a rapidly growing, highly resistant blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia.

“Based on the characteristics of the blood cells in Denise’s bone marrow, her MDS was classified as high risk for disease progression offering a less than optimistic long-term outlook,” Xiang said. “We determined that a stem cell transplant offered the best chance for a cure.”

Stem cell transplants are complicated procedures and carry significant risks. Having an experienced transplant team and expert nursing care is essential for the best outcome. Goldberg had come to the right place.

The Graham Cancer Center’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Christiana Hospital offers today’s most advanced and sophisticated techniques for patients who need peripheral blood stem cells (those that mature into red or white blood cells, or platelets) or bone-marrow transplants, including the newest, low-dose chemotherapy “mini” transplants.

Among few in our region recognized for quality by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, this one-of-a-kind program in Delaware also serves patients in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Click here for more on expert cancer treatment at ChristianaCare.

“My doctor sent me to Philadelphia for a second opinion, but my experience at ChristianaCare convinced me I didn’t need to go anywhere else for treatment,” said Goldberg, who lives in South Jersey. “My medical team went the extra mile to discover my cancer. I trusted they would take care of me.”

Her doctors planned to replace her damaged bone marrow blood cells with healthy ones from another person who has the same or similar tissue type. This is called an allogenic transplant.

The team was able to search nationally and internationally to find the best possible donor match. A year later, Denise Goldberg is cancer-free.

Because the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant program participates in the National Marrow Donor Program as well as other international registries, the team was able to search both nationally and internationally to find the best possible donor match for Goldberg. The closer the match, the better the chances for a successful transplant.

Goldberg spent the better part of a month on the specialized Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Unit at Christiana Hospital, a “positive pressure” ward equipped with all the necessary technology to help her prepare and recover from her transplant.

A year later, Goldberg is cancer-free. “Now I can breathe again,” she said.

Throughout treatment and those long days in recovery, Goldberg relied on her team for support.

“Everyone was so nice and encouraging,” she said. “They helped me stay confident and positive about my treatment and the outcome.”