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HOME/Rare and Complex Conditions/A Message from Dr. Kumar – Learn about HLH, Become a Donor

A Message from Dr. Kumar – Learn about HLH, Become a Donor

A Message from Dr. Kumar – Learn about HLH, Become a Donor
September 23, 2016
4 Comments
By: Ashish Kumar, MD, PhD

As I prepare to ride a bike for 700 miles over the next seven days—for the third year in a row—I am both nervous and excited. Nervous because I know the ride is challenging. Excited because I am passionate about spreading awareness of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, more commonly referred to as HLH.

This week I am participating in 700 Miles to Hope, a bike ride started five years ago to honor young children who have lost their lives to this wretched immune deficiency disease. It serves to bring much-needed attention to the condition, because not enough people know what HLH is, how to diagnose it, and how to treat it.

It might be hard to imagine a disease that’s worse than cancer. But, sadly, HLH is worse.

It comes on quickly. Its initial symptoms are often deceiving. And the longer it goes undiagnosed, the more havoc it can wreak on the body, spreading destruction at precisely the time the body needs to be fighting.

I cannot say this enough: More people need to know about HLH. Awareness and research have led to a significant improvement in outcomes in children with cancer. My hope and my aim are to help bring such awareness to HLH, so we can accomplish similar improvements in treating this disease. The simple fact is that more research needs to be done on HLH, so we can diagnose it early and treat it effectively.

Some of the children who are diagnosed with HLH don’t survive. Witnessing a family lose their child is the worst part of my job. It is not only devastating for the families, but it affects me personally too. That’s why I’m riding again this year. Even though I haven’t had as much time to train this summer. Even though I am older this year and am unsure of how my body will handle this ride. Even though there are hills and crashes and deep, powerful emotions that we’re sure to encounter.

Many children who have HLH need a bone marrow transplant as part of their treatment. While I am riding this week, I ask you to please take action to become a bone marrow donor. Visit Be The Match to get started. It’s rather easy: Request a kit, a cotton swab in your cheek, a bit of simple paperwork and send it back. That’s it—and you quite literally could save a life.

Please, also spread the word. Learn about HLH. Talk about HLH. Think of research and where it has brought us. Learn why the other riders are riding. Share this blog post. Create a buzz. And rest assured that I’ll be doing all of these same things as I pedal my way from Jackson, Mississippi, back home to Cincinnati over the next seven days. Thank you for joining me.

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  • 700 miles to hope
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About the author: Ashish Kumar, MD, PhD

Dr. Kumar is an associate professor in the Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency at Cincinnati Children’s. He works as both a physician and researcher with special interest in the areas of childhood cancer and blood disorders, immune deficiency, leukemia biology and cancer biology.

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Comments

Rocio September 25, 2016 at 1:20 pm

HI DR.KUMAR WE JUST LOST OUR BROTHER THAT WAS 18 IN NOVEMBER 2015. IT HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER AND YES LIKE YOU SAID ITS WORST THAN CANCER. WE WAITED AND WAITED FOR 6 WEEKS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH HIM AND BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE. NONE OF US HAD EVER HEARD OF THIS DISEASE, AND I WORK FOR A GI HERE IN MODESTO CA. IT WAS ALL NEW TO EVERYONE.
IM HAPPY FOR WHAT YOUR DOING WE ALWAYS TRY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS RARE DISEASE AND IM ALWAYS POSTING THINGS ON FB SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHAT IT IS..

Candace September 30, 2016 at 12:05 am

God bless and be with you on your journey. Thank you for all that you do.

Ramya September 30, 2017 at 2:17 pm

Hi,

Please guide me.. as my daughter (6 month old) diagnosed with primary HLH and she is undergoing chemotherapy.Doctor said that she has to undergo bonemarrow transplant.I want to discuss more regarding this. Please sugget me on this.

    Avatar photo
    Rachel Camper October 2, 2017 at 11:09 am

    Hi Ramya,

    Please reach out to our HLH Center of Excellence directly, so that they can learn more about your daughter and help guide you appropriately. They can be reached by phone: 877-920-3590; email HLH@cchmc.org; or submitting an online form for more information: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/h/hlh/contact/form

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