Please help find a donor
Dear friends and family,
My dear cousin, Farhad Mirfakhrai, was diagnosed with Leukemia in February 2005. He went through chemotherapy and received a transplant of his own bone marrow. In August 2005 he was cancer free and back to normal life. Unfortunately, he had a case of recurrence in September 2006. He went through chemo again and his marrow is in remission as of today. However, he needs a donor to get rid of cancer for good. We have just found out UCLA hasn't found a donor because the genes Farhad got from his father are very rare. The transplant has to been done within a week. His Leukemia is very aggressive and the doctors don't want to wait too long. We need to find a donor fast, very fast. But the donor has to be related to the Mirfakhrai family from Tafresh. This is his only chance for survival.
If you are related to the Mirfakhrai family or know any one who might be, please call me ASAP. It's extremely urgent that we find a donor. Please forward this e-mail to all Iranians you know. I have faith in every single Iranian out there to help find a donor for Farhad.
If you like to read about his condition please visit his web sites:
Farhad's health update
Farhad Mirfakhrai (the information on the site regarding the bone marrow is out dated; there is no time for that).
Thank you for your help,
Shirin
949-488-9848
949-230-8062
As of November 28, they have stopped collecting samples.
Farhad’s doctor has now confirmed that a perfect cord blood match has been found in Belgium -- it is currently in the U.S. customs waiting to be released. Since there are so few stem cells found in cord blood, these cells are not usually used to treat adults. But, in this case, there are enough stem cells to treat Farhad.
One of the serious complications that can develop after a stem cell transplant is “graft-versus-host disease” – the new cells may destroy other cells in the body. This happens less often when umbilical cord stem cells are used, which is really a good news.
As such, all parties have agreed to go ahead with the transplant using the umbilical cord blood within the next week or two.
- Desiree/mashed potato & mixed vegetables
2 weeks 3 days ago - Bahareh/white rice
2 weeks 3 days ago - Shasha/fruits
2 weeks 3 days ago - Sonia/mixed rice
2 weeks 5 days ago - MReza/coffee & pastries
2 weeks 5 days ago - Marilyn/ice cream & cookies
2 weeks 5 days ago - Sassan/cake
3 weeks 3 hours ago - Shiva/drinks & rotisserie chicken
3 weeks 3 hours ago - Shahrzad/lasagna
3 weeks 1 day ago - Roya B./pasta with meat
3 weeks 2 days ago - Maryam S./salad & dressing
3 weeks 2 days ago - Roya Z./rolls & corn on the cob
3 weeks 2 days ago - Sandy was adopted
7 weeks 1 day ago - Renoir has been adopted
7 weeks 1 day ago - Found loving homes
7 weeks 1 day ago
- kami
- sassan
- shawn
- lisa
- ali
- james
- yohanna
- rudi
- ani
- marylin
- shiva
- Tommy
- schini
- royab
- shohreh
The cord blood transplant was performed on Dec. 28, 2006 successfully. He was released from the hospital in Januray 2007. On January 30, he wrote:
Sorry for the delay. How could I forget my friends? They are like air to me. I can not live without you. I am back to my mother’s house in Brentwood. Because my own house we have tons of traffic, lots of plants, flowers and two vicious gigantic dogs (just kidding two toy Maltese that will like to lick you to…).
Well I am doing great, but I became a drug addict, not by choice but by force, I am almost hooked to IV 10 hours a day, and tons of drugs. They keep me away from reality. Also every day I have to go to UCLA for more blood products and tests. The cord blood has engrafted. Doctor will confirm this after tomorrow when he does bone marrow biopsy on me. Ouch….
The 1st 100 days of engraft is extremely important. 30 days passed, now another 70 days to go. I have to be in isolation, because now the engraft makes immune system but this immune system is new and is not familiar with my body cells. They may attack my own body (GvHD) Graft vs Host Disease. So these drugs put immune system into sleep and they gradually wake her up. Yes it is she, I have a great relationship with her, just doctors do not believe that and put me on tons of drugs.
So my mind is pre-occupied with these day to day mind boggling things. I promise I will write more. But do not doubt my feelings for you, I miss you tremendously and can not wait for our reunion.
Till then
Love, Peace, Respect
Farhad
On February 1st, he was told by his doctor that there was no sign of cancer. However, a few days later he was told that he had a CMV infection. And on April 13, he was admited back to the hospital because of the infection. He was released on May 12th as there was no trace left of the infection. As of July 9th, there was no sign of cancer of CMV. His blood counts are at a healthy level and Farhad seems to have more energy and appetite.
~ source Farhad's journal