Bone marrow transplants are complex, difficult, risky, often controversial, procedures which can be lifesaving. This is also an area in which the technology is constantly changing. Deciding whether a BMT is the best option, and if so what kind of transplant, and where to get it, are all life and death decisions where being informed can make a huge difference. Because these procedures are expensive, insurers and HMOs often try to avoid paying for transplants for some patients. Fortunately, patients are often successful in forcing their health plan to cover. It helps to know how to go about it.

These issues are all beyond the scope of CancerGuide. However there are excellent patient oriented organizations which cover all of this. This is a short list of the best I've found.

2900 Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
888-5977-674 (toll free)
http://www.bmtinfonet.org

Notes:

This is an excellent comprehensive resource for patients facing a bone marrow transplant. A wonderful place to start is their book, Bone Marrow Transplants: A Book of Basics for Patients

They also provide attorney referrals for those having difficulty obtaining reimbursement or their treatment See the Insurance Reimbursement section of their page, under helpful services.

29209 Northwestern Hwy. #624
Southfield MI 48034
800-LINK-BMT
http://comnet.org/nbmtlink/

Notes:

Another excellent organization with comprehensive information!

National Marrow Donor Program
Suite 500
3001 Broadway Street Northeast
Minneapolis, MN 55413-1753
800-627-7692
http://www.marrow.org

Notes:

The National Bone Marrow Donor Program offers useful patient services as well as maintaining a huge database of donors. Their patient programs include the "Office of Patient Advocacy" which offers many services including helping patients with insurance, also provides patient information on transplantation and various diseases.

This mailing list is extremely active with well over a thousand subscribers. I guarantee you that 1000 people together know more than any one person can possibly know. It is not possible to overestimate the power of determined people working together!

To sign up for the list go to ACOR's sign up form

Notes:

ACOR also has an active mailing list for almost every kind of cancer. People with your kind of cancer will know about the status of bone marrow transplantation (and other treatment options) for that specific cancer type. So it would also be a good idea to find and sign-up for the list for your cancer.

Posted in 2006, this is an educational slide show on blood stem cell transplants.

Notes:

Worth a visit to learn more about bone marrow transplants. (PF, 12/07)