Pamela Neff

Pam was diagnosed with indolent Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2008, three weeks after the birth of Sarah. Grace and Hannah were four and two years old at the time. She relapsed in 2011 and went through chemotherapy (R-CHOP) for a second time. In 2015, Pam relapsed again and this time she enrolled in a clinical trial at Mt Sinai in NYC. While the trial medications initially resolved all of the lymph nodes, a large mass was identified behind her knee in August. This mass turned out to be aggressive transformed lymphoma with poor prognosis should she relapse after treatment.

The treatment for transformed lymphoma is platinum based chemotherapy and stem cell transplant when R-CHOP has already been used. We pray for a complete response to this chemo regimen so that Pam can go into transplant disease free. We are hopeful the chemo takes care of the aggressive lymphoma completely! As timing is critical in treating this disease, the only possible chance of a cure is to undergo an allogeneic stem cell transplant from a donor. As Pam’s sister is a “perfect” 10/10 match, she will be her donor. The intent of transplantation is cure, yet the statistic is around 60%. We are focusing on 100%! Additionally, an allogeneic transplant does not come without risks as overall survival through year one is approximately 85%-90%. Again, we are focusing on 100%!

The treatment and recovery time for this type of transplant is much longer, so the current plan is that Pam will likely be gone from home for up to six months. As with any medical crisis, we can only pray that our plan stays the course. Even with insurance, the costs associated with Pam’s medical treatment are astronomical. This presents a challenge that Pam and her family cannot meet alone.

To help offset Pam’s uninsured medical expenses, a fundraising campaign in her honor has been established with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the South-Atlantic Stem Cell Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant related expenses only. Please consider a contribution.

We ask that you continue to pray for Pam and her family. Please send positive thoughts and provide well wishes as this comforts them immensely. This has been a difficult journey on so many levels yet they remain optimistic and so blessed by the outpouring of love and support they receive. Your support and prayers are genuinely appreciated.