Jodi Picoult's novel, “My Sister’s Keeper” is about, Anna, the younger sister who was born only to match her sister Kate’s bone marrow. Kate was only two years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Minutes after Anna came out of the womb she had to donate cord blood to treat her sister’s disease. Her life only existed to keep that of her sister's. Unfortunately, the leukemia came back and Anna had to then donate her stem cells and bone marrow. The main purpose of a stem cell and bone marrow transplant is to replace unhealthy stem cells with healthy stem cells, this can treat or cure diseases such as leukemia or aplastic anemia. How does this procedure work? Stem cells (which are cells that divide and develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) or the bone marrow is removed out of your body or another person’s body by a needle or a syringe. Then the stem cells, or bone marrow, is taken to the laboratory to be processed, frozen, and stored until needed. The patient is given a high dose of chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy the cancer cells. A few of weeks later, the bone marrow or stem cells are infused into the patient’s blood stream. The infusion process is done my thawing the bone marrow or placing the stem cells in warm water, and then it is penetrated into the vein. Once the stem cells find the bone marrow, new red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets begin to form. Side effects of this procedure include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, mouth sores, skin rash, and hair loss.
http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/treatments/3.03.php
http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/treatments/3.03.php
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