Personal Update from Jeremy McGrath
Thursday, May 10, 2012 | 9:05 AM
Share
Comment
Email
PrintWe received this personal update from Jeremy McGrath regarding his wife Kim's current condition.
Hi Friends:
I am sending this message to let everybody know what is going on with my wife Kim and my family. As you may or may not know, about 2 years ago Kim was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She had a number of different surgery's, underwent chemotherapy for many months, and handled the processes like a true champion. Kim was feeling great.
Kim was 15 months removed from her last treatment, about a month ago she noticed a couple of small blotches on her skin. Due to her great instincts she went and got them biopsied. That biopsy came back as "Leukemia Cutis", which is Leukemia of the skin. Naturally we were blown to pieces by this news.
As I said, Kim was feeling great and due to her good instincts we caught this in the Pre Leukemic stage. The bad part is the doctors have to treat " Leukemia Cutis" the same way as if you came in the hospital at the later stages of leukemia. Which sucks….
This means more chemo, she is currently in the hospital and has completed her 7 days of chemo and they are saying a BONE MARROW transplant is next…. THIS IS WHERE ALL OF YOU GUYS COME IN… We really need your help with going and getting on the Bone Marrow registry, the idea is to find a Marrow match.
Its as easy as finding a Bone Marrow Drive and getting your mouth swabbed, or having the kit sent directly to you at your house, and you can send it back. I ask all of you to do this ASAP, this is something that is time sensitive. In order to help Kim, we have to be willing to help anybody, which is the right thing to do.
Go to http://marrow.org/Join/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx?promo_code=mcgrath
This is the biggest challenge of my and my family's life…. You guys have never let me down, so PLEASE help us with this one… Thank you…
Sincerely,
Jeremy McGrath
Share this article:
Did you like this article?
Check out BAD BOY CLUB
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
One of Europe’s fastest young racers, 18-year-old Dutch Red Bull KTM rider Jeffrey Herlings talks about his life, his career ... and his occasional outbursts. Page 160.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
ok i did it should take 2 weeks for it to show up.. i Hope i can help man You are a true Champion..
God bless MC. I will sign up today.
How sad. To be told that you are good to go, and for over a year, believing it... Then to have cancer come back. I have been living with pancreatic cancer that has spread to my liver, and thymus, and stomach for six months. After two major surgeries, was told I was cancer free. Three months ago, I recieved the devestating news that the Mcgraths are going through.
What I would like to know, is if anyone would take my marrow sample. I'm doing chemo, and had radiation, with more to come. Is my marrow tainted?
I wish cancer got cancer, and died.
I joined the bone marrow registry in 1995. I called to make sure I was still listed on the registry and realized that my addresss and contact info was not up to date. For all of you who may have registered in the past, call the registry and make sure your info is accurate in their system.
What he forgot to say is this will not only help his wife but many more people out there who are suffering and need bone marrow transplants.
Be sure to go to the part about the medical/personal history qualifications to be eligible to join the registery. I am out because of age, my wife because of age and her particular cancer history. It will determine real quickly whether you might qualify as a donor or not.
I wish the McGraths the best, as a foreigner the only thing I can do in this case is sit at the sideline and watch.
Already on the registry, when a friend went thru the same ordeal. I will check to make sure all my info is up to date as noted above. Wish the McGraths the best.
even you you cant give blood like me (spent ttime in europe and they think i may have been exposed to mad cow) you can still give marrow!!!!!!
i signed up years ago.
I'll share with all of you my experience with the registry. I have two very good friends who lost their wives to cancer. Both had very rare "weird" cancers that were super aggressive. This was 5 or 6 years ago. My wife and I immediately got on the registry and like MC says it was very easy. They send you a kit, you lick a cotton swab and send it back.
Two months ago I received a phone call from the registry saying I was a potential match and they wanted to verify that I was still willing to be a donor. I'll admit that my initial thought was "oh crap, you mean this could actually happen." But after I talked to the girl from the registry she assured me that they have methods of extracting bone marrow that are not as painful as people think. I think most of us imagine a doctor with a huge needle jamming it into our hip or quad and extracting marrow. Not quit how it goes. If fear is something that is keeping you off the registry, call and at least talk to someone first. There are options and just b/c you sign up does not mean you cannot change your mind. I found that once I hung up the phone, I was actually hoping I was a match. They said it could take 3-6 months for me to hear if we go to the next step.
If I could save a life, man that would be my greatest accomplishment ever. Good luck Kim. I wish you nothing but the best.
just signed up! :) i hope i can help!
Hang tight MC, God didnt throw the two of you together only to some years later break you into peices..... Everything will work out.
Sorry MC, I had retinablastoma (cancer of the eye) as a child and that makes me an unsuitable donor. I hope and pray that Kim finds a donor.
I registered back in 1992. Wishing Kim the best.
I think it's awesome that we can use a forum like this for something positive and good rather than just being a bunch of bench racing know-it-alls. I'm sighed up for a drive next Tuesday. We all obviously hope and pray for the McGrath family but hopefully our efforts will extend far beyond that in the future. Thanks for getting the word out MC and thanks RacerX for supporting this cause through this website.
Thought and Prayers MC.
For anyone in Arizona, there will be a donor drive on the 20th of May for my 20month old daughter who was recently diagnosed with MDS (pre leukemia)
For more information visit her "Minnie Page": https://www.facebook.com/MadalynsMinnieBattleWithMds
Jeremy
We are extended family. thank you for allowing us to try and help .
JimM
Pala374
I am already a member of BE A MATCH. I am here for you if the match is there. You gave me many years of good times and entertainment and would help you out..
Terrible news. Best wishes for Kim, MC, and their families.
After those of us that can register do, we need to get friends and family to register as well. I never heard of this registry before but what a great cause. I'm sure most aren't aware of it's existence.
I signed up a year ago. A coworker was diagnosed with leukemia. I was amazed at the turnout we had at work for the drive. It was too late for him, but not for Kim or someone else. Sign up!
I tried to register, but they denied me because due to racing MX I broke my neck years ago and have back injuries too. This causes me to take anti-inflammatories as well as Gabapentin for nerve related pain. Non of these things are "drugs" like you get addicted to and my spinal problems are due to injury. I hope plenty of people sign up because I think their criteria for the registry is really strict.
Good luck Kim and MC!
Grant
Thoughts and prayers champ.... you guys have many people in your corner. ..
Im sorry to hear this news.
I am in the same boat and have got cancer too.
They dont really know whats going on but i already lost a kidney.
What i want to share is the following. Dont necessararly listen to the white coats.
You want to stack the deck of cards in your favor. Look up the gerson therapy, dr Andrew saul and see what they have to say about nutrtion. Learn more about your options because chemotherapy is not always the best option and if it is... you want to repair your cells with the best nutrtion possible. organic vegetable juices and high doses of vit c maybe can help you feel better.
Kind regards
Mark Veld
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyMWjxK5XCM&feature=share
As a 14 year breast cancer survivor (diagnosed at age 33) and a disability lawyer unfortunately I have too much experience with cancer. MC, I know you might be getting a great deal of unsolicited advice, but I would urge you to ask tons of questions and be sure this is not inflammatory breast cancer which is often either misdiagnosed or missed as it was for one of my young ciients. Inflammatory breast cancer often first appears as a rash or blotches on the skin, can appear other than in the breast, is more common in younger women and is rare and some doctors have never seen it. MD Anderson in Houston is a leading center for inflammatory breast cancer if you want a second or third opinion. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
My Dad had Leukemia and would not let me be tested, I believe in fear that if I was not a match that I would feel like I failed him. I lost him 10 years ago this July. Reading your update inspired me to donate. I already registered and I truly hope that myself or anyone else who registered for Kim will be a match. My love goes out to you and your family Jeremy.
Jeremy, I'm calling on my prayer gang to send up the SOS. This is what the Lord gave me.
1 Peter 5
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Sorry to hear your story. I lost my sister to lukeama last year. My stem cells were able to give us three more years with her. i will make sure i am on the donner list.
My mother was a 15 year breast cancer survivor but was lost to lukeamia a few years back...Ill be on that list.
Bones717, first of all I hope you continue to kick cancer's ass. As to whether your marrow is 'tainted' - I doubt it, but even so, they probably won't take you as a donor because of the cancer(s) you've had. I don't know that as a fact, but I'd suspect so. I'm a cancer survivor myself, and I also just got a BSN (nursing) degree... so I'm fairly knowledgeable.
Man, I'm so, so very sorry for your wife's illness. I lost my mom to leukemia. It went undiagnosed and she never had a chance. I pray that Kim has a full recovery and a cancer free life. May God give you and your family the strength to get through this.
just registered Mc
Best Wishes for a Speedy recovery! Your family is in our thoughts!