Tim Waddell

Tim, a very energetic youthful 53 year-old was never sick, but in May 2023, he caught a virus and couldn't shake it. After about 3 weeks of feeling weak, sick, and just miserable, he went to the doctor. It was Friday, May 12, 2023. Labs were taken and sent away, doctor said, possibly Lymes disease, but the blood tests would be more telling. Saturday morning, May 13, 2023, at 7:30am, he received a call from a nurse at LabCorp. She told him to get to an Emergency Room now, as his white blood count was critically low. Once at the Emergency Room, he was told he needed to be transported to a hospital as they were 90% sure he had leukemia. A bone marrow biopsy would be needed to confirm. 

During a week-long stay, all tests were performed, and later he received a diagnosis of high-risk Myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood cancer.  The only treatment, and possible cure was chemo and a Bone Marrow Transplant.  Without treatment, maybe 2-3 months to live.

Treatment was swift, within a week. This consisted of 10 days of chemo, followed by one hospital stay after another. In all 5 chemo rounds, and 6 hospital stays before the word "remission" was heard.

He prepared for his bone marrow transplant, but another setback, a spot found on his Liver pushed back transplant from November 4th to December 6th. Finally, Tim received his life saving donor’s cells on December 6th, 2023. This moment was filled with fear, excitement, and anxiety of the highest levels. Many do not even survive to this point, much less through transplant, it was a huge risk, but worth it.

His donor, an anonymous young man from Europe, gave his time and his life saving bone marrow cells to a stranger. 

The journey has been full of struggles, tears and near-death experiences more than once, but Tim prevailed. He is almost 2 years post-transplant now, and has been able to return to work, almost 2 years, to the day of diagnosis.  

Life after transplant is not always back to normal. Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) is a lifelong battle to ward off and to fight, when it rears its head. It's an internal battle of his own cells fighting his donor. His skin, and eyes and even gut or organs can be attacked.  Tim has battled a small bout with GVHD of his skin and won. Thankful to the selflessness of a young man in Europe, and Grateful to be alive to tell this story.

A warrior was born in 1969, but reborn on December 6, 2023.